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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  SAN  DIEGO 


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Short  Stories 
of  Costa  llica 


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,  SAN  DIEGO 


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UNlViRSITY  Of  CALIFORNIA,  SAN  DIfiGQ 

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Short  Stones  of  Costa  Rica 

By 

Ricardo  Fernandez  Guardia 


The  Translation  and  Introductory 
Sketch  by  Gray  Casement 


Cleveland 

Ihc    liiirrows    BrnrlHrs   Company 
I9f)8 


Copyright,  1904,  by  Gray  Caskmknt 

Set  up  and  electrotyped 

November,  1904 

All  rights  resented 


Second  Edition 


THE    CENTRAL    PRINTING   CO. 
MUNCIE,  IND. 


Contents 


A  Central  American  Arcadia 


El  Estreno  (The  Debut) 

Un  Heroe  (A  Hero) 

Un  Santo  Milagroso  (A  Miraculous 

Saint)       .... 
La  Politica  (Politics) 
Hidalguia  (Chivalry) 
La  Botija  (The  Buried  Treasure) 
El  Ahorcado  (The  Hanged  Man) 
Un  Espadachin  (A  Swordsman) 
Los    Gatos    Demoniacos    (riir    Be 

devilled  Cats)  . 
El   Chivel   (The  Pink)      . 


75 

I  12 

148 

187 
203 

22  1 

■'-35 

248 
259 


Illustrations 


Ricardo  Fernandez  Guardia  .  .  .         Fn 

A  Vista  of  San  Jose  .  .  ,  Opposite 

Port  Limon    ....... 

Calle  de  la  Estacion  or  Station  Street   . 

In  the  National  Park,  San  Jose   . 

Street  Scene  in  San  Jose    .... 

Soldiers  Drilling  in  the  Plaza  de  Artilleria 

Soldiers  Ready  to  Start  for  the  Nicaraguan  Frontier 

A  Street  in  San  Jose  .... 

View  of  the  "Liceo"  and  the  Normal  College 

On  the  Costa  Rica  Railway 

Rio  Grande  Bridge  Nearing  Completion 

The  Rio  Grande  Bridge,  Pacific  Railroad 

Heavy  Work  on  the  Pacific  Railroad    . 

A  Fill  on  the  Pacific  Railroad     . 

Rio  Grande  Bridge  During  Construction 

Crossing    the    Rio    Grande    hy    Cable    Before    the 

Completion  of  the  Bridge 
A  Railroad  Camp  in  the  Mountains 
Some  of  the  Pacific  Railroad  Builders 
The  National  Theatre        .... 

A   Wild    Valley 

A  Residence  in  San  J<>j.c    .... 

A  Coffee  Bencficio  Near  San  Jose 

A  Street  Scene,  San  Jose   .... 


ntispiece 
Contents 

9 

9 

13 

J7 
20 
2 1 
2+ 
27 
3' 
32 
3i 
3  5 
37 

4' 

45 
49 
53 
,57 
59 
61 

65 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Bank  of  Costa  Rica 

A  Banana  Plantation 

In  the  Central  Park,  San  Jose     . 

The  Bishop's  Palace 

In  the  Patio  of  a  Private  Residence 

Church  of  La  Soledad 

San  Jose  from  the  «'Cuesta  de  Moras  ' 

A  Military  Review 

A  Religious  Possession 

Veterans  of  the  War  with  Walker 

A  Humble  Funeral 

An  Old  Stone  Bridge 

Oxcarts  Loaded  with  Coffee 

A  Coffee  Tree  in  Blossom 

Troop  of  Cavalry  Passing  Central  Park 

Oxcarts  on  a  Country  Road 

A  Bit  of  Puntarenas 

On  the  Old  Highway  to  Puntarenas 

A  Slide  on  the  Costa  Rica  Railway 

The  Park  in  Port  Limon  . 

One  of  the  DifHculties  of  Railroading  in  the  Tropics 

On  the  Coast   Plain 

Church  and  Park  in  Alajuela 

The  Foyer  of  the  National  Theatre 

A  Village  Church    . 

Map  ..... 


69 

71 
77 
80 

83 
97 

lOI 

114 

H5 
119 
129 

137 
157 

173 
179 

183 
191 
194 
224 

227 
230 

233 

237 
263 

273 
294 


A  Central  American  Arcadia 


CUENTOS     TICOS 


A  CENTRAL  AMERICAN  ARCADIA 

SEVERAL  years  ago  a  well-known  young 
writer  made  a  journey  through  a  part  of 
Central  America,  and  on  his  return  home 
wrote  several  bright  and  interesting  articles 
about  the  countries  he  had  seen.  They  were 
written  in  a  satirical  tone,  and  no  doubt  did 
much  to  increase  the  prejudice  already  so  com- 
mon amongst  us  against  Spanish-American  coun- 
tries, lie  made  the  mistake  of  judging  the  whole 
from  a  jjart. 

Americans  arc  apt  to  group  all  of  these  re- 
publics together  in  the  contem|)t  which  they  feel 
for  them.  If  we  are  correctly  informed,  this 
writer  visited  onl\-  IJondiuas  and  a  little  corner 
of  Nicaragua,  whicli  are  commonly  held  to  be 
the  most  backward  and  unprogressive  republics 
of  Central  yXmerica.  If  he  had  continued  his 
journcv  south  to  Costa  Rica,  or  n<irth  to 
Guatemala,  he  might  liave  written  in  a  different 
strain. 


2    .  CUENTOS    TICOS 

From  time  to  time  some  enterprising  news- 
paper sends  out  a  correspondent  to  "write 
up"  some  of  these  comitries.  As  he  usually 
starts  out,  however,  with  a  preconceived  preju- 
dice, and  makes  only  a  flying  visit  in  each  place 
he  generally  acquires  more  misinformation  than 
anything  else;  it  takes  time  to  get  acquainted 
with  Spanish-American  life,  at  least  with  the  best 
features  of  it. 

It  may,  therefore,  be  of  interest  to  take  a  look 
at  one  of  these  little  republics  through  thfe  eyes 
of  a  friendly  observer,  and  such  the  writer 
frankly  declares  himself  to  be. 

This  article  must  confine  itself  to  Costa  Rica, 
as  it  is  the  only  one  about  which  he  feels  com- 
petent to  write  with  accuracy,  and  as  it  lies 
next  to  the  new  Republic  of  Panama,  soon  to  be 
the  scene  of  such  a  great  undertaking,  it  may  be 
of  especial  interest  at  the  present  time. 

In  the  first  place,  to  show  the  dense  ignorance 
prevailing  at  home  about  Spanish-America,  the 
average  person  does  not  even  know  where  Costa 
Rica  is,  and  generally  thinks  one  is  talking  about 
Porto  Rico,  which  he  may  have  heard  of  since 
the  Spanish  war.  When  corrected  and  told  that 
it  is  in  Central  America,  he  usually  says : 

"Ah,  yes,  now  I  know.  Don't  they  have  a 
revolution  down  there  almost  every  day,  and 
isn't  the  climate  dreadfully  Unhealthy?" 

It  is  astonishing  how  little  Americans  know 
of  the  countries  to  the  south  of  them.  Life  in 
Spanish-America  is  a  sealed  book,  as  little  known 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  3 

to  them  as  that  of  Central  Africa.  The  general 
impression  seems  to  conform  with  what  the  New 
York  tough  said  in  describing  the  street  in 
which  he  lived : 

"De  furder  down  yer  go  de  tougher  it  gits, 
an'  I  lives  in  de  las'  house,  see!" 

In  speaking  of  Central  America,  Costa  Rica 
corresponds  to  the  last  house,  yet  in  many  re- 
spects it  is  the  gem  of  the  five  republics. 

It  is  unfortunately  true  that  revolutions  are 
so  common  in  the  Spanish-American  world  as 
to  give  ground  for  the  impression  that  they  are 
always  in  a  state  of  disorder.  The  good  repub- 
lics, however,  suffer  from  the  evil  reputation  of 
llieir  bad  neighbors.  There  arc  seventeen  nf 
them  between  the  Rio  Grande  and  Cape  Horn, 
and  in  some  one  of  these  there  is  almost  always  a 
revolution  in  i)rogress.  Nevertheless  there  are 
several  that  rarely  suffer  from  these  ills;  Costa 
Rica,  for  one,  has  not  had  anything  worthy  the 
name  of  a  rcxolution  for  nearly  a  score  of  years, 
and  we  could  mention  others  equally   fortunate. 

I'hc  bad  climate  is  confined  to  tlic  coast  plain. 
Nearly  the  whole  interinr  of  Central  America 
is  high  mountainous  country,  where  the  climate 
is  as  truly  temperate  as  any  place  in  the  world. 
It  is  never  very  hot  nor  very  cnM.  mikI  fr^st  is 
a  thing  unknown  except  ou  the  liii;!!  moun- 
tains. 

Costa  Rica  although  a  small  country  presents 
a  great  varietv  of  scenery  and  of  climate.  On 
both  coasts  one  finds  the  intense  heat  and  the  rank 


4  CUENTOS    TICOS 

overpowering  vegetation  of  the  tropics,  but  on 
ascending,  both  chmate  and  vegetation  become 
more  like  those  of  the  tempera-te  zone.  Yet, 
whether  on  the  coast  or  in  the  highlands,  the 
scenery  is  always  beautiful.  ^The  dry  season  in 
the  country  west  of  the  main  range,  which  in- 
cludes the  oldest  settled  part,  extends  from 
November  to  April.  During  the  latter  end  of 
this  period  the  vegetation  becomes  parched  and 
brown,  while  on  the  side  towards  the  Caribbean, 
during  the  same  months,  it  is  raining  every  day 
and  the  vegetation  is  fresh  and  green. 

Most  of  the  country  is  mountainous  but  in 
Guanacaste,  the  province  occupying  the  north- 
western part  of  the  republic,  one  finds  another 
change  of  scene.  There  are  open  grassy  plains 
with  patches  of  woodland  scattered  about  at  ran- 
dom. It  is  the  chief  cattle-raising  district  and 
here  are  located  the  largest  cattle  ranches  of 
the  country. 

The  most  convenient  route  to  Costa  Rica  is 
from  New  York  or  New  Orleans  by  steamer  to 
Port  Limon.  From  there  a  narrow  gauge  rail- 
road leads  to  San  Jose,  the  capital,  a  little  over  a 
hundred  miles  distant.  The  railroad  is  the  prop- 
erty of  an  English  company,  and  considering  the 
difficulties  of  operating  in  the  tropics,  such  as 
tremendous  rains,  washouts  and  slides,  gives  very 
fair  service.  It  runs  a  through  train  each  way 
daily  between  San  Jose  and  Port  Limon,  besides 
a  number  of  locals. 

The  railroad  is  very  substantially  built,  having 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  J 

practically  no  wood  in  its  construction,  all  the 
bridges  and  even  the  ties  being  of  iron.  The 
rolling  stock  also  is  of  good  quality,  and  is  mostly 
of  iron  and  steel. 

The  road  first  passes  over  the  coast  plain  for 
some  twenty  miles  when  it  begins  to  climb, 
finally  reaching  an  elevation  of  over  five  thousand 
feet.  Then  it  descends  again  another  thousand 
iK-fore  reaching  San  Jose,  which  is  about  four 
thousand  feet  above  sea  level.  The  scenery 
throughout  the  whole  route  is  magnificent  and 
well  worth  the  journey  from  New  York,  or  even 
farther. 

The  line  climbs  about  the  skirts  of  the  main 
range,  in  which  are  two  great  volcanoes  over 
eleven  thousand  feet  in  lieight.  The  mountains 
are  as  grand  and  rugged  as  the  Rockies,  with  the 
added  beauty  of  the  luxurirmt  tmpical  verdure 
that  clothes  them  to  their  summits,  and  of  many 
foaming  white  cascades  and  waterfalls  that  seam 
their  green  sides.  As  one  reaches  the  iieights  of 
Cartago,  the  old  capital,  the  scene  changes.  The 
traveller  tnight  imagine  himself  in  \cw  '•".ngland, 
for  the  train  runs  through  pastures  bounded  by 
gray,  mos.s-grown  stone  walls,  and  if  it  were  not 
for  the  tile-roofed  adobe  houses  here  and  there, 
or  if  he  did  not  follow  with  his  eve  the  long 
slopes  of  the  volcano.  Ira/u,  nnlil  they  lose  them- 
selves in  the  clouds,  the  illusion  would  lie  almost 
perfect.  There  is  no  sign  of  tropical  luxuriance 
here.  On  the  contrary,  the  vegetation  has  a  most 
northern  aspect.     Once  past  the  divide,  however.^ 


8  CUENTOS    TICOS 

which  is  jnst  beyond  the  quaint  old  cai)ital.  the 
train  begins  to  descend  towards  San  Jose  and 
soon  is  passing  through  fine  old  coffee  plantations 
where  the  coffee  trees  are  shaded  by  bananas, 
plantains  and  other  broad-leaved  growths.  From 
time  to  time  as  the  train  turns  about  the  shoulder 
of  some  hill,  one  catches  a  glimpse  of  the  broad 
interior  valley  which  for  more  than  three  hun- 
dred years  has  contained  the  bulk  of  Costa  Rica's 
population.  It  has  the  look  of  an  old  settled 
country.  As  far  as  one  can  see  it  is  cultivated, 
and  the  primeval  forest,  which  seems  to  jiredom- 
inate  on  the  side  towards  the  Caribbean,  has  here 
been  almost  entirely  cleared  off  except  on  the 
mountain  tops.  The  lower  slopes  of  the  moun- 
tains appear  to  be  painted  in  patches  of  different 
colors  where  sugar-cane,  corn  and  other  cro])s  are 
growing,  the  whole  having  rather  the  ap])earance 
of  a  checker-1)oard  done  in  varying  shades  of 
green  and  brown  instead  of  red  and  black.  Idie 
whole  scene  is  beautiful,  strange,  foreign,  unlike 
anything  to  be  seen  at  home. 

When  the  train  rolls  into  the  station  at  San 
Jose  the  traveller  expects  to  find  everything  for- 
eign also,  and,  judging  from  the  glimpse  he  has 
had  of  Cartago,  with  its  old  churches,  moss- 
grown  tile  roofs  and  grass-grown  streets,  he  is 
prepared  to  be  taken  back  into  the  eighteenth 
century.  Things  are  foreign  enough  to  be  sure, 
.n\t  there  is  a  goodly  number  of  modern  im- 
provements to  be  seen.  Hacks  and  hackmen 
.  crowd  about  the  station  entrance,   electric  light 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  II 

poles  and  lamps  are  numerous,  and  a  neat  trol- 
ley car  is  waiting  for  passengers  in  front  of  the 
station.  There  is  a  broad  macadamized  road- 
way, bordered  on  both  sides  by  trees,  which  leads 
off  toward  the  centre  of  the  city,  and  a  little 
beyond  the  station  is  a  handsome  park  separated 
from  the  street  by  a  concrete  wall.  There  are 
policemen  in  neat  uniforms;  the  streets  are  clean 
and  in  fairly  good  repair;  everything  has  a  civil- 
ized look  that  pleases  one  after  the  stories  which 
he  has  doubtless  heard  of  filthy,  ill-paved  Span- 
ish-American towns. 

If  the  traveller  decides  to  take  a  hack  instead 
of  the  electric  tram,  he  is  soon  rattling  down  the 
above-mentioned  wide  street  bordered  by  trees, 
past  substantial  looking  houses,  through  another 
pretty  park,  then  on  ])ast  shops  and  residences, 
crossing  intersecting  streets  every  hundred  yards, 
observing  that  they  grow  narrower  and  the  city 
more  compact  as  he  advances.  The  houses  are 
mostly  of  one  story,  rising  straight  from  the 
inner  edge  of  the  narrow  sidewalk. 

When  he  arrives  at  the  princi])al  hotel,  a  two- 
story  structure,  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  he  has 
another  surprise.  The  rooms  are  neatly  fur- 
nished anrl  the  bed  linen  is  clean,  l^pon  dining 
he  finds  the  table  apjKiintmcnts  clean,  ami  that 
which  is  served  to  cat  by  no  means  bad.  and  he 
begins  to  feel  that  things  have  been  misrepre- 
sented to  him. 

In  the  evening,  if  it  happens  to  be  Thursday 
or  Sunday,  he  will  hear  strains  of  music.    Stroll- 


12  CUENTOS    TICOS 

ing;  out  in  search  of  it,  he  soon  finds  another 
park,  or,  more  correctly  speaking,  a  botanical 
garden,  with  walks  winding  among  palms  and 
flowers  and  with  benches  here  and  there. 

He  will  see  a  number  of  people  gathered 
together,  promenading  along  the  walks  or  seated 
on  the  benches,  to  hear  the  music  of  a  fine  mili- 
tary l)an(l  in  a  pavilion.  All  classes  are  in 
e\idence.  There  are  gentlemen  and  ladies.  Some 
of  the  latter  wear  hats  and  others  have  beau- 
tiful china  silk  shawls  or  pafiolons  thrown  about 
their  shoulders.  There  are  barefooted  peons  in 
short  jackets  with  sashes  about  their  waists,  and 
peon  girls,  many  of  them  in  the  low-necked  and 
short-sleeved  garments  characteristic  of  their 
class,  with  the  gay-colored  scarfs  known  as  re- 
bozos  thrown  about  them,  the  fringed  ends  of 
which  hang  down  almost  to  their  feet.  When  the 
concert  is  over  and  the  traveller  has  returned  and 
gone  to  bed,  he  probably  passes  a  most  comforta- 
ble night,  for  it  is  delightfully  cool;  before  morn- 
ing, indeed,  he  is  likely  to  need  a  blanket. 
Moreover,  it  is  not  probable  that  he  will  be  both- 
ered by  those  tropical  pests, — fleas  and  mos- 
quitoes. 

As  one  wanders  through  the  streets  in  the  day- 
time he  may  feel  somewhat  as  though  he  were  on 
a  stage  set  for  a  play  or  an  opera.  Things  look 
as  if  arranged  with  an  eye  to  picturesque 
effects;  the  one-story  houses  of  brick  or  adobe 
covered  with  stucco,  the  eaves  overhanging  the 
narrow    sidewalks,    and    the    two-story    houses 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  15 

nearly  all  with  small  iron  balconies  at  the  upper 
windows,  in  the  Spanish  fashion.  The  fort-like 
cuartels  or  barracks  have  medicneval  looking  tow- 
ers and  loop-holes;  the  heavy  doors  at  the  en- 
trance have  a  small  barred  window  through 
which  a  soldier's  face  is  always  peering. 

The  streets  are  full  of  lumbering  oxcarts  with 
solid  wooden  wheels,  in  front  of  which  marches 
the  barefooted  boyero  or  driver,  invariably  with 
an  iron-tipped  goad  in  his  hand.  There  is  surely 
no  lack  of  local  color.  The  sunshine  is  bright, 
the  air  is  wonderfully  clear,  and  all  about  are 
beautiful  cloud-capped  mountains,  their  green 
slopes  dotted  with  \\hite  villages  and  church- 
towers.  The  land  (.n  which  the  city  is  built 
drops  abruptly  to  the  north  and  to  the  south, 
into  river  valleys,  so  that  as  one  looks  down 
any  of  the  cross  streets,  he  sees  a  patch  of  green 
mountainside  framed  like  a  jMCture  in  the  ap- 
parent end  of  the  street  where  it  terminates  in 
the  valley.  A  person  must  indeed  Ik.*  hard  to 
please   if  he  is  not  charmed   with   the  prospect. 

One  of  the  first  things  to  impress  a  stranger 
in  San  Jose  is  the  numl)er  of  soldiers  and  ofliccrs 
to  be  seen  about  the  streets.  They  seem  to  be 
everywhere,  so  that  one  wonders  whether  Costa 
Rica  does  not  sup|)ort  a  large  army  for  so  small 
a  country.  On  inrpiiry,  however,  he  finds  that  . 
the  entire  number  under  arms  is  only  five  or  six 
hundred.  When  he  considers  further  that  they 
are  nearly  all  cfmccntrated  in  the  four  principal 
towns  r)f  the  cotintrv.   he   docs   n<»t   wonder   so 


l6  CUENTOS    TICOS 

nnicli.  Two  or  three  hiin(h-ed  soldiers  make 
((uite  a  sliowing-  in  a  city  of  thirty .  thousand 
inhal)itants.  The  rank  and  file  are  not  very 
imposing  individuals.  Most  of  them  are  bare- 
tooted,  and  tor  uniforms  wear  ill-fitting  suits 
of  blue  dungaree,  which  for  a  warm  climate 
answer  the  purpose  well,  it  being  cool  and  dura- 
ble. The  officers,  however,  are  more  presenta- 
ble, dressed  in  their  neat  uniforms  of  dark  blue 
cloth  with  gold  braid.  Some  of  these  have 
quite  a  soldierly  appearance. 

A  squad  of  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  men  can 
be  seen  almost  every  day  in  the  Plaza  de  Artil- 
leria  next  the  artillery  barracks.  They  seem  to 
be  fairly  well  drilled,  and  are  doubtless  suffi- 
ciently good  for  any  service  they  may  be  called 
on  to  perform,  such  as  putting  down  a  revolu- 
tionary uprising.  In  these  countries  where  the 
population  is  hot-headed  and  volcanic  in  its  na- 
ture, an  armed  force  is  a  necessity  and  undoul)t- 
edly  works  for  the  good  of  all  by  preserving  the 
peace. 

Costa  Rica,  as  we  have  already  mentioned,  has 
been  without  anything  worthy  the  name  of  revo- 
lution for  some  fifteen  years.  There  have  been, 
however,  several  attempts  to  overthrow  the  gov- 
ernment, which,  thanks  to  the  military  and  an 
efficient  police  force,  were  each  ])ut  down  in  a 
single  day  with  very  little  loss  of  life. 

As  an  example  of  the  inaccurate  statements 
made  by  the  above-noted  newspaper  correspond- 
ents,   we    remember    an    article    written    several 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 9 

years  ago  by  one  of  them  who  had  just  vis- 
ited Costa  Rica.  In  it  he  speaks  of  the  "bare- 
footed soldiers  with  their  rusty  muskets"  who 
file  out  into  the  park  each  moming  for  inspection. 
They  are  barefooted  to  be  sure,  but  they  are 
armed  with  long  range,  breech-loading  rifles  in 
good  condition,  instead  of  "rusty  muskets." 

One  lives  in  the  midst  of  military  stir  and  bus- 
tle, hears  the  bugle  sound  the  reveille  in  the 
moming  and  taps  at  night,  can  see  inspection  and 
guard  mount  every  day  in  the  park;  all  of  which 
adds  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the  life.  The 
soldiers,  although  not  much  to  look  at,  exist  for 
a  stern  purpose,  and  when  one  thinks  that  they 
may  be  called  on  any  day  to  risk  their  lives  in  a 
bloody  conflict  it  gives  them  an  interest  in  one's 
eyes  which  their  outward  appearance  does  not 
warrant.  Sentries  are  always  at  the  doors  and 
in  the  turret-like  sentry  boxes  on  the  walls  of  the 
cuartels.  There  is  a  triangle  of  different  tone 
in  each  of  the  boxes,  and  at  night,  when  the  cor- 
poral of  the  guard  wishes  to  see  if  his  men  are 
awake,  he  strikes  one.  when  each  man  has  in 
answer  by  striking  his  own.  As  each  triatiglc 
has  a  different  sound,  the  corporal  can  tell 
whether  any  one  has  not  answered.  When  one 
wakens  in  the  middle  of  the  night  and  hears  the 
odd,  sweet  sound,  like  far  away  bells,  it  gives  a 
feeling  of  security,  that  one  is  being  watched 
over. 

The  military  system  of  the  country  is  excel- 
lent.    I-'.ach  citizen  is  rerpiired  to  bear  arms,  and 


20 


"CL'EXTOJ    TICOS 


even-  two  months  the  personnel  of  the  garri- 
sons in  the  cuartels  is  changed,  for  new  recruits 
are  brought  in  and  the  old  ones  discharged. 
The  names  of  all  who  have  served  are  enrolled 
in  a  military  register,  and  when  needed  can  be 
called  in  promptly.  The  government  has  a  sup- 
ply  of   Remington   and   Mauser   rifles   sufficient 


SOLDIERS  READY  TO  START  FOR  THE  NICARAGUAN   FRONTIER 


for  quite  an  army.  Several  years  ago,  when 
there  was  danger  of  war  with  Nicaragua,  it 
armed  and  equipped  about  five  thousand  men 
in  two  or  three  weeks  and  sent  them  to  the 
frontier. 

In  addition  to  the  soldiers  there  are  the  police. 
They  are  a  mihtary  organization;  the  men  are 
selected  from  the  armv,  and  controlled  not  by  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  23 

municipality  as  in  the  United  States,  but  by  the 
government.  They  are  mostly  men  of  medium 
size,  not  giants  like  our  policemen,  yet  in  their 
neat  blue  uniforms,  with  Colt  revolver  on  hip 
and  heavy  club,  they  present  a  business-like  ap- 
pearance and  seem  to  perform  their  tluties  as 
efficiently  and  more  politely  than  those  in  our 
own  cities.  We  doubt  if  any  of  our  cities,  except 
New  York,  is  so  well  policed  as  San  Jose.  At 
night  there  is  a  policeman  armed  to  the  teeth, 
with  rifle,  revolver  and  machete,  on  duty  at  each 
street  intersection  in  the  main  part  of  the  city, 
and  mounted  officers  go  the  rounds  to  see  that 
the  men  are  in  their  jKJsitions.  This  display  of 
armed  force  is  not  so  much  on  account  of  thieves 
and  assassins  as  to  deter  i)eo])le  from  indulging 
in  riot,  rebellion  and  other  like  diversions.  The 
I)re.sent  commandant  of  police,  althdugh  a  Costa 
Rican,  is  a  graduate  of  .Sandhurst,  the  F.nglish 
military  school.  Me  could  ha\c  h.'ul  a  commis- 
sion in  the  Ifritish  army  but  preferred  to  return 
to  his  native  land.  There  are  two  Inindicd  men 
under  his  command  in  San  Jose.  lie  is  an  able 
officer,  and  since  taking  command  has  intro- 
duced a  number  of  reforms  and  imj)rovements. 

For  one  thing,  the  Cuartel  de  I'olicia  or  police 
barracks,  which  the  writer  had  the  pleasure  of 
visiting  not  long  since,  is  now  as  derm  and 
orderly  as  one  of  our  military  barracks  in  the 
I'nited  States.  The  night  police  were  formerly 
armerl  with  Winchester  re|)eating  rifles  but  the 
present  commandant  had  them  cliantred  for  single 


24 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


shot  reformed  Remingtons,  as  he  considered 
these  better  for  the  class  of  men  who  were  to  use 
them.  All  the  other  large  tow-ns  of  the  country 
have  a  police  force  similar  to  that  of  San  Jose. 
One  can  see  signs  of  iirogress  on  all  sides. 
The  city  is  well  lighted,  having  an  electric  arc 
lam])  at  each  street  intersection,  and  as  the 
blocks  are  all  short  ( (jne  hundred  Spanish 
yards)  there  are  no  dim  spaces  between  far  dis- 


VIEW    OF    Tli^     'LICEO"    ANL   THE    NORMAL    COLLEGE 


tant   lights,   as   in   many   cities    of    the    United 
States. 

On  public  education,  which  is  compulsory  the 
government  has  spent  much  money.  There  is  a 
large  metal  school-house,  capable  of  accommo- 
dating several  hundred  scholars,  near  the  centre 
of  the  city  and  a  number  of  smaller  buildings  in 
other  districts.  It  is  a  pleasant  sight  to  see 
groups  of  bright-faced  children,  with  their  satch- 
els of  books,  trooping  through  the  streets  to 
school   in   the  cool   of  the  morning.      Some  are 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


-:> 


white  and  others  of  varying  shades  of  brown, 
according  to  the  amount  of  Indian  blood  in  their 
veins;  the  majority  are  neatly  dressed  and  form 
a  very  respectable  body  of  school-children. 

In  addition  to  the  common  schools,  the  govern- 
ment also  supports  a  college  for  young  men  and 
one  for  young  women  and  girls.  The  "Liceo" 
or  men's  college  gives  a  good  course  of  study 
and  confers  the  degrees  of  B.  S.  and  B.  A. 

The  courses  in  the  college  for  seiioritas  are 
about  equal  to  those  of  our  high  schools.  This 
department  occupies  a  substantial  building,  with 
large,   airy,   well-furnished  class  rooms. 

As  one  rides  out  through  the  small  villages  and 
country  districts  he  finds  schools  there  also  and 
begins  to  realize  that  Sfimcthing  has  been  done  to 
lift  the  people  out  of  their  ignorance.*  It  is  no 
sham  effort.  Kx-presidcnt  Iglesias,  who  for 
eight  years  was  at  the  head  of  the  Costa  Rican 
government  (leaving  office  in  May,  1902).  and 
under  whom  much  of  the  progress  in  cducaliim 
was  made,  was  accustomed  t(j  boast  that  the 
country  su])p')i-tc'd  innrc  school  teachers  than  sol- 
fliers.  When  men  of  such  character  are  at  the 
head  of  affairs  there  is  hope  for  a  country. 

\Xc  at  home  have  l)een  so  in  the  habit  of  de- 
spising Latin  countries,  especially  Spanish  coun- 
tries, that  most  of  us  have  come  to  Inok  on  iheni 
as  beyond  liojie.  excc])t  f"r  the  regenerating  touch 

"In  spcakiriK  f>f  liftinR  the  people  out  ofthrir  iKimr.iiur.  ilic  writer 
refers  to  the  peon  cl.i'i'..  ai  tlie  people  of  the  upper  cI.ik".  are  a»  n 
rule  well  cflucatcci  and  of  considerable  culture,  many  of  the 
wealthy  planters  sending  their  »on»  to  Europe  and  the  United 
States    to    be    educated. 


26  CUENTOS    TICOS 

of  the  Anglo-Saxon.  For  that  reason  the  writer 
dwells  on  those  points  which  show  some  indica- 
tion of  a  healthy  progress,  of  a  start  in  the  right 
direction.  When  one  is  looking  for  such  things, 
it  is  easier  to  see  them  than  when  his  eyes  are 
blinded  by   the  before-mentioned  prejudice. 

There  are  more  signs  of  modern  progress  to 
be  noted.  The  electric  tramway,  already  referred 
to,  runs  the  length  of  the  city  and  a  mile  or  two 
east  and  west  into  the  country.  The  telegraph 
system,  which  is  owned  and  operated  by  the  gov- 
ernment, reaches  nearly  all  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages of  the  country.  It  gives  fairly  good  service, 
at  rates  about  half  of  what  they  are  at  home. 
Telephone  lines,  under  private  ownership,  con- 
nect the  principal  towns,  Cartago,  Alajuela  and 
Hercdia,  with  the  capital.  These  towns  are 
lighted  also  by  electric  arc  lamps.  All  of  the 
electricity  in  the  country  is  generated  by  water 
power,  of  which  the  numerous  swift-running 
streams  and  rivers  furnish  an  abundant  supply. 

The  history  of  railroad  building  in  Costa  Rica 
is  interesting. 

The  first  railroad  was  built  about  thirty  years 
ago.  Strange  to  say,  it  did  not  start  from  the 
coast,  but,  [)assing  through  San  Jose,  ran  from 
Alajuela  to  Cartago,  fourteen  miles  west  and  east 
of  the  capital.  All  the  material  was  hauled  in 
oxcarts  nearly  fifty  miles,  over  a  mountain  range 
and  deq)  river  valleys,  to  the  beginning  of  the 
line.  Senseless  as  this  may  seem,  there  was 
reason  for  it.     Up  to  that  time  all  freighting  was 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  29 

done  by  oxcarts,  from  the  Pacific  coast,  and  the 
"boyeros"  or  oxcart  men,  formed  a  powerful 
element  of  the  population.  On  account  of  their 
opposition  to  the  railroad,  the  government,  which 
was  building  it,  took  this  way  of  pacifying  them, 
and  gave  them  the  work  of  hauling  the  material. 

Although  the  cost  was  immense,  the  road  was 
built  and  put  in  operation,  every  bit  of  the  ma- 
chinery, rails  and  bridges  being  hauled  in  this 
way. 

At  about  the  same  time  a  small  bit  of  road, 
which  is  still  being  operated,  was  built  from 
Puntarenas,  the  port  on  the  Pacific  coast,  to  Es- 
parta.  fourteen  miles  inland. 

But  the  greatest  task  of  all  was  the  railroad 
from  the  Caribbean  coast  to  San  Jose.  This  was 
truly  a  tremendous  undertaking,  considering  the 
difficulties  that  had  to  be  overcome.  These  were 
not  caused  by  hostile  Indians,  as  in  the  liuilding 
of  our  first  Pacific  railroad,  but  by  mighty  Nature 
herself  in  the  region  where  she  is  strongest  and 
where  men  seem  but  pygmies.  The  road  was  com- 
menced at  the  coast  where  the  port  of  Limon  now 
is,  that  spot  Ijcing  then  but  a  wilderness.  The 
government  began  the  constnictii^n.  but  after 
builfling  alxiut  forty  miles,  tiu'tied  it  over  to  Mr. 
Minor  C.  Keith,  an  .American,  now  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  I 'nited  I'ruit  ('ompany.  who  suc- 
ceeded in  1)ringing  I'jiglish  capital  to  the  coun- 
try to  complete  the  work.  The  first  twenty 
miles  of  the  line  is  across  the  coast  plain  thront^di 
tropical    jungles   and    swamps.      It   is   often    said 


30  CUENTOS    TICOS 

that  this  part  cost  one  man  for  every  tie.  They 
ched  by  scores  and  hundreds,  carried  off  by  the 
tropical  fevers.  The  road,  after  crossing  this 
plain,  was  built  first  along  the  open  country, 
which  skirts  the  northern  slopes  of  the  volca- 
noes Turialba  and  Irazu,  with  the  intention  of 
running-  it  up  through  a  pass  in  the  mountains 
to  the  height  of  San  Jose.  But  when  the  line 
was  completed  to  Carrillo,  the  point  where  the 
ascent  began,  it  was  found  impossible  to  control 
one  of  the  rivers.  ,  This  is  a  rapid  mountain 
stream,  fed  by  tremendous  rains,  and,  where  the 
railroad  crosses  it,  the  country  is  flat,  having 
no  high  banks  to  hem  it  in.  It  sometimes 
changed  its  course  in  a  single  night,  leaving  the 
bridge  over  a  dry  stream-bed  and  carrying  away 
the  railroad  embankment  on  one  side  or  the  other. 

Numerous  attempts  were  made  to  overcome 
this  difficulty,  but  the  river,  known  as  the  Toro 
Amarillo,  or  Yellow  Bull,  was  too  unruly.  After 
several  bridges  had  been  carried  away,  the  line 
had  to  be  resurveyed  up  the  other  side  of  the 
mountain  range  from  a  point  nearer  the  coast. 
It  was  tremendously  heavy  work,  great  cuts  and 
fills  that  kept  sliding  in  and  washing  away  under 
the  terrific  rains  following  one  after  another.  At 
one  i)lace  a  whole  mountain  side  kept  sliding 
down  and  carrying  the  road-bed  with  it  into  the 
river  below. 

As  the  traveller  crosses  one  of  the  numerous 
iron  bridges,  he  can  see  a  masonry  pier  standing 
alone  some  forty  feet  to  one  side  of  the  bridge. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


31 


The  pier  was  formerly  under  it,  but  some  earth- 
quake shock  or  other  cause  carried  the  whole 
stream-bed,  pier  and  all,  down  that  distance. 

In  spite  of  all  these  difficulties,  the  road  was 
finally  completed.  Sometimes  funds  were  so 
scarce  that  the  laborers  had  to  wait  for  their  pay. 


RIO    nUANDE    liRIIMJE    NEARING    COMl'I.ETION 


Mr.  Keith  fictiucntlv  liatl  to  ride  intu  camps  and 
face  crowds  ni  nnitinous.discontcntcd  men. often- 
times makini,^  threats  a.cj'ainst  his  life,  but  sn  i^rcat 
was  his  inthience  over  them,  and  such  the  cunll- 
<lcnce  whicli  he  inspired,  that  after  a  few  chcerintj 
words  he  would  ride  awav  leavinir  them  contented 


3-'  CUENTOS    TICOS 

and  willing  to  continue  their  work,  trusting  his 
word  for  their  pay.  1  hat  the  road  was  finally 
finished  was  due  almost  entirely  to  his  indoniita- 
hle  courage  and  persistency.  He  seemed  to  bear 
a  charmed  life,  passing  unscathed  through  the 
dangers  of  desperate  men,  of  fever  camps,  poison- 
ous snakes,  aiid  rapidly  rising  rivers,  to  which 


THE   RIO   GRANDE    I5RIDGE,    PACIFIC   RAILROAD 


hundreds,  perhaps  thousands,  succumbed;  in  out- 
ward appearance,  however,  he  is  merely  a  well- 
groomed,  pleasant  looking  gentleman,  of  medi- 
um size,  yet  with  wonderfully  brilliant  and 
piercing  brown  eyes. 

In    1897   the   Costa    Rican   government   com- 
menced building  from   San  Jose  to  the  Pacific 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


35 


coast  a  railroad  known  as  the  "Ferrocarril  al 
Pacifico"  or  Pacific  Railroad.  The  contract  was 
let  to  an  American  citizen  an  Ohio  man.  at  an 
estimated  cost  of  something  over  three  million 
dollars,  American  gold.  This  is  not  the  first 
Pacific  railroad  with  which  he  has  been  con- 
nected, for  he  was  prominently  identified  with  the 
building  of  the  Union  Pacific. 


A    FILL    ON    THE    TAriFIC    RAILROAD 


Although  the  contract  wa?>  let  to  a  foreigner, 
the  roafl  has  been  built  according  to  the  specifica- 
tions laid  down  by  the  government,  and  under 
the   supervision   of   Costa    Rican   engineers. 

The  location  was  largely  luade  by  a  Costa 
Rican,  Don  .Alberto  Gonzalez  who  has  been  chief 
engineer    for    the    government    during   the   con- 


36  CUENTOS    TICOS 

struction.  y\merican  engineers  say  that  he  lo- 
cated the  road  well. 

Unfortunately  the  work  was  stopped  when  the 
railroad  reached  Santo  Domingo,  a  village  about 
twenty  miles  from  the  coast,  for  the  government 
felt  temporarily  unable  to  carry  it  on;  but  un- 
doubtedly it  will  be  completed  within  two  or 
three  years. 

In  February,  1903,  the  contractor  turned  over 
the  completed  part  wdiich  the  government  is  now 
operating.  There  is  no  lack  of  passenger  and 
freight  traffic,  and  it  appears  that  the  road  will 
earn  an  interest  on  the  investment. 

The  construction  has  been  a  long  and  tedious 
affair,  for  nothing  moves  very  quickly  in  the  trop- 
ics, except  fevers  and  death,  and  the  government 
has  been  too  poor  to  push  the  work.  There  is 
no  cheap  railroad  building  in  a  country  like  Costa 
Rica.  The  mountains  are  so  steep  and  their  sides 
are  so  furrowed  with  deep  ravines  separated  by 
narrow  ridges  that  heavy  cuts  and  fills  cannot  be 
avoided,  and  as  the  numerous  rivers  have  deep 
valleys,  many  large  bridges  have  to  be  built.  In 
the  first  twenty-four  miles  of  the  Pacific  Railroad, 
there  are  seven  iron  bridges,  four  of  which  are 
(jver  a  hundred  feet  .high;  the  highest  of  the  four 
is  three  hundred  and  twelve  feet  from  the  rails  to 
the  water  level.  This  last  bridge  spans  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  at  the  time  it  was  erected  was  the 
only  one  of  its  kind.  It  is  a  combination  of  the 
cantilever  and  the  arch  and  was  built  out  into 
space  from  each  side  of  the  gorge,  without  any 


KIO  GRANDE  BRIDGE  DURING   CONSTRUCTION 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RXCA  39 

false-work  to  support  it,  and  has  a  clear  span  of 
450  feet.  Considering  that  the  two  ends  were 
joined  together  without  being  more  than  a  frac- 
tion of  an  inch  out  of  measurement,  and  that  not  a 
single  life  was  lost  nor  a  single  man  seriously 
injured,  it  is  a  credit  to  American  bridge  en- 
gineering and  to  the  skill  of  those  who  erected  it. 

From  the  Rio  Grande  the  line  goes  turning  and 
twisting  like  a  snake  about  the  folds  of  the 
Aguacate  Mountains,  yet  following  the  valley  of 
the  river,  w^hich  here  flows  in  a  westerly  direction 
on  its  way  to  the  Pacific. 

For  about  seventeen  miles  the  work  is  very 
heavy.  Some  of  the  cuts  are  more  than  a  hun- 
dred feet  deep  on  the  ;'p|)er  side,  and  there  are 
many  fills  of  sixty  and  eighty  feet  in  height.  The 
road  has  not  presented  such  great  difficulties  as 
the  one  to  the  Caribbean  coast,  but  there  have 
been  enough.  In  the  rainy  seasons  there  were  a 
great  many  slides  in  the  cuts,  and  some  of  the  fills 
were  nearly  destroyed.  Much  of  this  part  of  the 
line  was  comjjleted  for  three  years  or  more  before 
the  track  was  laid  on  it  and  Iwcame  so  overgrown 
with  bushes,  undergrowth  and  even  trees,  that 
one  in  riding  over  it  would  hardly  think  it  was  a 
completed  road-bed. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  work  was  started 
from  San  Jose  and  has  not  reached  the  const 
plain,  fevers  have  not  bad  to  be  contended  with, 
and  only  a  few  lives  have  been  lost  from  sickness. 

Almost  all  the  manual  labor  has  been  per- 
formed by  native  Crista  Rican'?.  who  on  the  whole 


40  CUEXTOS    11  COS 

have  proved  good  workers.  The  peons  (which  in 
Spanish  simply  means  laborers)  need  to  be 
handled  in  a  certain  way  to  get  good  results. 
They  resent  rough  talk,  so  that  some  of  the 
American  foremen,  who  were  in  the  habit  of 
cursing  their  men,  had  to  learn  their  business 
over  again.  The  peons  when  they  were  sworn 
at  laid  down  their  tools  and  went  home;  call  it 
Spanish  pride  or  what  you  will,  they  will  work 
for  no  one  that  they  think  is  calling  them  bad 
names. 

The  workmen  board  themselves  and  provide 
their  own  sleeping  quarters  in  the  railroad  camps. 
The  contractor  usually  supplies  each  man  with  a 
few  sheets  of  corrugated  iron  for  a  roof,  and  the 
peon  does  the  rest.  Their  huts  are  very  simple. 
They  do  not  use  a  single  nail  in  constructing 
them,  l)nt  Ijind  tlie  timbers  together  with  "beju- 
cos,"  the  pliant  vines  that  grow  on  the  trees  in  the 
tropical  forest.  The  vines  can  be  found  in  all 
sizes,  from  stout  ropes  to  small  cords,  and  the 
peons  put  them  to  all  manner  of  uses. 

One  of  these  railroad  camps  in  the  mountains 
is  an  interesting  place  on  a  pay  night,  and  rather 
trying  to  the  nerves  of  a  "tenderfoot"  who  is  not 
used  to  the  ways  of  the  country. 

The  men  come  in  from  all  sides,  with  long 
machetes  on  hip,  colored  sashes  about  their 
waists,  uttering  blood-curdling  whoops  and 
screams  which  seem  to  forebode  violence  and 
bloodshed.  But  they  are  rather  signs  of  pleasure 
and  contentment  than  anything  else.    To  be  sure, 


CROSSINO    rJIE    KIO  GRANUK   IIY   CABLE   BEKORK   THE   COMPLETION 
OF    THE    liKIIKJE 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  43 

they  fight  more  or  less  among  themselves,  espe- 
cially when  under  the  inliuence  of  the  native 
l)randy  or  "guaro"  made  from  sugar-cane.  But 
all  things  considered  they  are  not  a  dangerous 
people,  and  respond  readily  to  fair  treatment. 
One  is  safer  among  them  than  he  would  he  in  a 
crowd  of  New  York  toughs,  for  they  are  a  dis- 
tinct lower  class  and  have  an  inborn  respect  for 
a  "sefior,"  one  who  belongs  to  a  higher  social 
grade.  At  the  same  time  they  are  independent, 
for  many  of  them  have  their  own  patch  of  land 
which  they  cultivate,  or  an  assured  position  on 
some  rich  man's  coffee  hacienda.  If  not  satis- 
fied therefore  with  things  on  the  railroad  work, 
they  return  to  their  own.  A  \)Qim  can  live  com- 
fortably on  what  an  American  would  call  starva- 
tion wages,  an(l  is  as  a  rule  a  happy-go-lucky 
individual,  seeming  to  let  the  morrow  take 
thought  for  the  things  of  itself. 

Even  on  the  coffee  plantations,  or  haciendas,  he 
is  not  bound  to  the  S(iil  by  debt  as  seems  to  be  the 
case  in  Mexico  and  some  other  Spanish-American 
countries.  The  proprietor  furnishes  him  with  a 
house — or  more  properly  speaking  a  hut — to  live 
in,  and  also  bis  firewood,  in  return  for  which  the 
peon  must  work  at  the  current  wages  for  the  ])ro- 
l)rietor  when  he  needs  him.  When  the  work, 
which  is  jirincipally  in  the  coffec-])icking  season, 
is  over,  the  peon  is  free  to  go  and  work  where  he 
will  until  needed  again. 

Besicles  the  pe«)ns.  Costa  Rica  is  fortunate  in 
having  an    indu^^trious   and    frugal    middle  class 


44  CUENTOS    TICOS 

of  small  farmers  who  own  land,  houses  and 
oxen.  Most  of  them  live  in  the  plainest  possible 
way,  go  barefooted  like  the  peons,  dwell  in 
houses  with  dirt  floors,  and  eat  very  little  else 
than  rice,  black  beans,  eggs  and  plantains;  yet 
many  of  them  have  comparatively  large  sums  of 
money  in  the  bank.  It  is  from  this  class  that  the 
boyeros  or  oxcart  men  are  largely  drawn.  They 
are  a  rugged,  independent  set,  earning  very  good 
wages. 

From  San  Jose  to  Puntarenas,  the  port  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  there  is  an  old  highway  which,  be- 
fore the  building  of  the  Costa  Rica  railway,  the 
one  to  the  Caribbean,  was  the  only  means  of  com- 
munication between  the  coast  and  the  interior,  ex- 
cept some  narrow^  trails.  Until  the  completion  of 
the  Pacific  railroad  to  Santo  I^mingo  all  mer- 
chandise entering  or  leaving  the  country  by  way 
of  Puntarenas  traversed  this  road  in  oxcarts,  and 
even  yet  it  has  to  go  in  that  way  from  Santo 
Domingo  to  Esparta,  about  fifteen  miles.  Old 
residents  say  that  years  ago  the  road  was  in  such 
good  condition  that  one  could  ride  comfortably 
in  a  carriage  the  whole  distance  from  the  capital 
to  the  coast,  but  since  the  opening  of  the  Costa 
Rica  railway,  the  government  has  allowed  it  to 
fall  into  a  bad  state  of  repair.  The  oxcarts  and 
the  rains  have  continued  the  work  of  destruction. 
Even  now,  however,  it  is  partly  stone-paved  and 
is  good  enough  for  travellers  on  horseback  or  for 
oxcarts.  It  gives  evidence  of  having  been  at  one 
time  a  fine  road  tiiat  must  have  cost  a  great  deal 
of  money. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  47 

The  phases  of  hfe  to  be  seen  in  travelling  over 
this  iiighway  are  most  interesting.  One  would 
think  he  had  gone  hack  a  hundred  years  if  it  were 
not  for  the  roadside  telegraph  line,  which  is  about 
the  only  thing  that  reminds  him  that  he  is  living 
in  the  age  of  modern  inventions.  He  meets  trav- 
ellers on  horseback  with  revolvers  strapped  about 
them,  saddlebags  and  blanket  rolls  behind  their 
saddles;  caravans  of  lumbering  oxcarts  laden 
with  freight,  cowboys  with  herds  of  cattle  on 
their  way  to  the  interior,  and  peons  in  short  jack- 
ets with  the  ever  present  machete  hanging  from 
their  belts.  The  entire  distance  l)etween  San  Jose 
and  Esparta  is  marked  off  in  kilometers  by  iron 
posts,  having  the  distance  from  each  place  let- 
tered on  them.  Every  twenty-two  kilometers 
throughout  the  whole  route  is  a  town  or  village 
where  travellers  stop  ior  breakfast  or  to  spend 
the  night  at  little  old-fashioned  inns.  Although 
unpretentious  looking  ])laccs.  they  are  fairly 
clean  and  sujjply  a  sufficiently  good  meal. 

That  the.se  towns  are  all  about  the  same  dis- 
tance apart  is  said  to  be  because  twenty-two  kilo- 
meters is  a  day's  journey,  in  an  oxcart.  The  old 
settlers  camped  at  these  places  at  the  end  of  their 
day's  journey  and  afterwards  the  villages  grew 
up  there.  Those  persons  who  arc  fond  of  the 
"good  old  days"  as  they  arc  called  and  like  <tld- 
fashioned  ways  would  certainly  enjoy  a  trip  on 
I  rseback  over  this  old  highway.  About  twenty- 
five  miles  from  San  Jose  the  traveller,  who  has 
passed  over  a  fairly  level  but  gradually  descend- 


48  CUENTOS    TICOS 

ing  country,  comes  to  the  valley  or  canon  of  the 
Rio  Grande.  The  road  goes  down  four  or  five 
hundred  feet,  crosses  the  river  on  an  old  stone 
bridge  of  a  single  arch,  then  climbs  up  perhaps 
a  greater  distance  on  the  other  side.  In  fact, 
after  leaving  the  river  valley,  it  ascends  all  the 
way  to  Atenas,  a  pleasant  village  nestled  among 
the  folds  of  the  Aguacate  Mountains.  From  here 
the  road  climbs  up  over  this  range,  which  is  about 
four  thousand  feet  high.  The  summit  is  often 
enveloped  in  clouds  and  the  traveller  rides 
through  white  mist  that  shuts  off  the  view.  If, 
however,  the  day  is  clear  he  gets  a  prospect  that 
is  w^orth  going  a  long  way  to  see.  Below  him  the 
white  road  zigzags  down  the  green  mountain  side 
until  it  reaches  the  villages  of  San  Mateo  and 
Santo  Domingo  lying  just  beyond  the  foot-hills 
at  the  beginning  of  the  coast  plain,  which  de- 
scends gently  from  there  to  the  sea.  The  beautiful 
Gulf  of  Nicoya  and  the  blue  Pacific,  edged  here 
and  there  with  white,  where  the  great  ocean 
surges  are  breaking  on  some  rocky  point,  lie 
smiling  in  the  sun. 

Puntarenas,  on  its  long  sand  spit  W'ith  its  an- 
chored vessels  and  the  coast  line  for  many  -miles 
can  be  seen  as  clearly  as  though  it  were  a  map. 
The  traveller  must  be  in  a  great  hurry  if  he  does 
not  spend  some  minutes  looking  at  the  magnifi- 
cent panorama. 

Costa  Rica,  no  matter  where  one  goes,  is  a 
land  of  beautiful  views.  One  rarely  takes  even  a 
short  ride  without  stopping  to  gaze  at  the  altered 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  5 1 

aspect  of  some  mountain,  changed  by  the  new 
point  of  view,  or  at  the  beauty  of  some  deej)  wild 
river  valley,  or  the  quiet  picturesqueness  of  an  old 
Stone  bridge  over  a  clear,  swift-running  stream. 

There  is  a  charm  to  life  in  such  a  place 
whether  in  the  city  or  in  the  country,  and  it  is  a 
matter  of  remark  among  the  foreign  residents 
that  anyone  who  has  come  under  its  spell  for  a 
year  or  two  never  gets  entirely  over  it,  but  al- 
ways has  a  desire  to  return,  as  did  those  Greeks 
who  found  the  land  of  the  lotus  eaters. 

San  Jose,  although  a  small  city,  probably  not 
having  more  than  thirty  thousand  inhabitants,  is 
a  capital  and  a  metrojxilis  in  miniature.  It  is  the 
governing  and  the  business  centre  of  the  republic. 
The  government  is  cfjuipped  with  all  the  machin- 
ery of  that  of  a  iiuich  larger  country.  There  is  a 
house  of  congress,  cabinet  luinisters,  a  bureau  of 
statistics,  a  governiuent  printing  office,  where  all 
official  reports  and  documents  arc  printed,  a  na- 
tional theatre,  f)wned  and  managed  by  the  gov- 
ernment, and  an  office  of  public  works  which  has 
charge  of  jniblic  improvements  and  such  under- 
takings as  the  Pacific  Railroad. 

There  is  something  of  a  (lipli>matic  corps,  for 
the  United  States  and  scvcrrd  .Sp.-uii^li-.\merican 
re7)ublics  are  represented  by  ministers,  while 
nearlv  all  the  great  nations  liave  consuls  to  look 
after  the  interests  of  their  subjects  residing  in 
the  country. 

There  are  several  fnrcign  colonics.  The  Span- 
ish is  the  largest,  although  the  American,  b'ng- 


0- 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


lisli.  Italian,  German  and  French  are  not  far 
behind.  One  becomes  (jnitc  a  cosmopohtan  after 
residing-  a  year  cir  two  in  San  Jose,  for  he  comes 
in  daily  contact  with  all  these  nationalities.  A 
goodly  proportion  of  the  foreigners  are  people  of 
education,  belonging  to  the  middle  or  upper 
classes  of  Europe  or  elsewhere. 

Spanish,  being  the  language  of  the  country,  is 
the  medium  of  communication  among  all  these 
nationalities  and  is  also  the  language  of  business. 
Next  to  that,  English  is  most  spoken,  yet  any  one 
who  thinks  of  coming  to  these  countries  to  en- 
gage in  business  should  not  cherish  the  idea  that 
it  is  sufficient  for  him.  To  make  the  most  of  his 
opportunities  he  should  know  Spanish  and  know 
it  well,  for  it  is  the  language  spoken  from  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  United  States  clear  to 
Cape  Horn. 

For  one  who  has  a  comfortable  income  or  an 
assured  salary  there  is  much  to  make  life  pleasant 
in  San  Jose.  One  attraction  is  the  national 
theatre.  The  writer  hardly  expects  to  be  be- 
lieved when  he  states  that  it  is  as  handsome  and 
well  appointed  as  any  theatre  in  New  York. 
Although  it  is  of  only  medium  size,  having  a 
seating  capacity  of  about  i.ooo.  all  the  decora- 
tions and  appointments  are  of  the  best.  It  w'as 
l)uilt  and  is  managed  by  the  government. 
Though,  when  looker!  at  in  the  cold  light  of  com- 
mon sense,  it  may  seem  a  most  foolish  expendi- 
ture of  the  pu1)lic  funds,  these  people  are  of  a 
different  race  from  our  own  and  have  different 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  55 

ideas  of  what  is  worth  while.  The  theatre  is 
built  of  stone,  iron  and  marble,  and  is  earthquake 
proof  as  all  buildings  should  be  in  a  country  like 
Costa  Rica.  Skilled  workmen  and  artists  were 
brought  from  Italy  to  build  and  decorate  it,  a  task 
which  took  several  years.  It  cost  nearly  $600,- 
000  American  gold. 

There  are  many  frescoes  upon  the  walls  and 
ceilings,  all  of  which  are  of  a  high  order  of  excel- 
lence. The  foyer  is  very  beautiful,  having  an 
inlaid  hard  wood  floor,  carved  marble  wainscot- 
ing and  pillars  and  handsome  decorations  in  has 
relief  on  the  walls. 

On  the  ground  floor  are  restaurants  and  cafes 
where  the  playgoers  refresh  themselves  during 
the  long  intermissions.  The  theatre  is  also 
ef|uii)i)ed  with  a  good  electric  i)lant  of  its  own, 
and  is  well  lighted.  What  most  surprises  a 
stranger  is  to  find  such  a  beautiful  play  house  in 
a  country  which  he  has  probably  always  thought 
of  as  only  half  civilized.  I'nfortunately.  as  San 
Jose  is  but  a  small  city,  the  theatre  is  closed  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  year;  still  for  two  or  three 
months  each  season  one  can  hear  opera  or  drama. 
Some  f)i  the  f>|)era  trou])es  arc  excellent  and 
would  compare  favorably  with  those  at  the 
brench  opera  house  in  Xew  Orleans. 

The  citizens  also  get  s<»me  of  their  money's 
worth  out  of  the  theatre  in  another  way.  ( )nicial 
banquets  and  balls  arc  given  here,  and  as  the 
floor  where  the  orchestra  chairs  are  placed  is  so 
arranL''<'d  tli.if   if  c.'m  be  rniscd  t^  ibc  level  nf  ilic 


56  CUENTOS    TICOS 

Stage,  the  place  makes  a  magnificent  banqueting 
hall  or  ballroom. 

If  a  tourist  from  the  north,  one  of  those  who 
come  expecting  to  find  a  country  of  Indians  and 
half-breeds,  were  to  happen  in  on  one  of  these 
occasions  he  might  fanc\'  himself  in  New  York, 
except  for  the  number  of  dark-faced  men  and 
W'omen  and  other  bits  of  local  color. 

Another  of  the  charms  of  life  in  San  Jose  is  the 
nearness  of  the  country.  A  ten  minutes'  walk  in 
almost  any  direction  will  take  one  out  among 
coffee  plantations  and  green  pastures  where  cat- 
tle are  grazing,  for  the  city,  like  all  Spanish 
towns,  is  very  compactly  built.  There  are  no 
smoking  chimneys  nor  grimy  factories  to  mar  the 
landscape,  for  Costa  Rica  is  almost  entirely  an 
agricultural  and  pastoral  country.  To  be  sure 
the  newly  arrived  "tenderfoot"  from  the  north 
may  find  some  unlovely  sights  that  interfere  with 
the  Arcadian  charm,  perhaps  a  swarm  of  black, 
vultures  devouring  a  dead  horse  or  cow,  or  per- 
haps some  drunken  peons  fighting  with  machetes. 
If  he  leaves  the  highroad  and  goes  blundering 
about  among  the  thickets  and  bushes  he  may  get 
"coloradillas"*  or  "niguas'"|-  in  his  feet.  Never- 
theless all  these  things  should  not  disturb  him.  es- 
pecially if  he  be  of  an  artistic  temperament,  for  he 
will  regard  them  as  part  of  the  local  color  of  the 
place. 

There  is  considerable  foreien  capital  in  Costa 
Rica. — American,  English,  French  and  German, 

*.\   small    insect    known    as   a    chigger    in    thr    southern    states. 
tAn  insect  known   by   the   name  of  jigger  in  the   south   and  west. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


59 


and  more  is  coming.  It  is  a  good  country  in 
which  to  invest  money  if  the  enterprise  itself  be 
safe.  The  government  and  the  educated  classes 
look  upon  it  with  favor  and  protect  it.  It  is  as 
safe  as  in  the  United  States.  The  revolutions  or 
revolutionary    uprisings    interrupt    business    no 


A  RESIDENCE  IN  SAN  JOSE 


more  than  d(jcs  an  election  at  home.  I-acii  if  suc- 
cessful, they  are  no  more  than  a  change  in  the 
governing  jiowcrs.  There  are  usually  a  few 
men  killed,  hut  they  are  almost  always  interested 
parties  who  ran  the  risk  voluntarily. 

TIh'   Costa    Kira    Railway   Company.    Limilc*!, 
the  road  to  the  Caribbean,  represents  an  invest- 


Go  CUENTOS    TICOS 

ment  of  between  two  and  three  million  pounds 
sterling  of  English  capital.  The  Tramway  Ccjm- 
pany  of  San  Jose,  with  the  electric  lighting  ser- 
vice which  it  also  operates,  represents  another 
£300,000. 

The  United  Fruit  C()ni])any,  the  great  Ameri- 
can corporation  engaged  in  growing  and  selling 
tropical  fruits,  which  owns  extensive  plantations 
in  several  different  republics,  has  over  five  thou- 
sand men  on  its  pay  rolls  in  Costa  Rica,  and  ships 
from  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  bunches  of 
bananas  daily  from  Port  Limon. 

There  is  some  American  capital  invested  in 
gold  mines,  with  the  prospect  that  the  amount 
may  be  greatly  increased.  Germans  and  French- 
men have  invested  (|uite  extensively  in  coffee 
plantations  and  beneficios.  The  largest  wholesale 
stores  in  the  country  are  in  the  hands  of  Ger- 
mans. The  i)rincipal  banking  institution  is  the 
"Banco  de  Costa  Rica."  It  is  entirely  a  native 
enterprise,  being  financed  and  managed  by  Costa 
Ricans.  and  is  the  place  of  deposit  for  govern- 
ment funds.  It  occupies  a  substantial  building 
of  stone  and  marble  in  the  central  jjart  of  ihe  city. 

Commercial  transactions  are  made  easier  and 
safer  by  the  fact  that  the  monetary  system  is 
stable.  Costa  Rica  is  on  the  gold  basis;  the  unit 
of  value  is  the  colon,  worth  exactly  forty-six 
cents  in  American  gold.  The  gold  standard  was 
put  in  force  in  1900,  during  the  administration  of 
Don  Rafael  Iglesias  and  was  due  more  to  his  ef- 
forts than  to  those  of  any  other  one  man.     He  is 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  O3 

one  of  the  most  progressive  men  that  Central 
America  has  produced,  and  although  he  has  had 
but  a  small  stage  on  which  to  jjlay  his  part,  is  a 
statesman  of  more  than  ordinary  talents.  The 
Pacific  Railroad  and  various  other  undertakings 
can  be  put  to  his  credit  also.  But  like  some  of 
the  prophets  of  old.  he  is  not  appreciated  in  his 
own  country.  Since  he  left  ofiice,  he  has  been  the 
object  of  bitter  and  humiliating  attacks  from 
his  personal  and  political  enemies,  and  has  even 
found  it  necessary  to  fight  a  duel. 

Nevertheless  with  all  these  material  and  practi- 
cal advantages,  Costa  Rica  in  common  with  the 
other  Spanish-American  republics,  is  a  land  of 
adventure  and  dramatic  events.  There  are  plots 
and- intrigues,  duels,  midnight  assaults  on  castlc- 
like  cuartels. — fugitives  from  justice  in  the 
United  States  or  Europe  flee  here  for  refuge,  as 
they  used  to  go  to  (jur  western  frontier;  exiles 
from  neighboring  republics  who  may  have 
headed  an  unsuccessful  revolution  come  by  sea 
or  land  to  save  their  lives  from  the  hand  of  some 
wrathful  dictator;  adventurers  and  gold  .seekers 
from  the  western  states  drift  in  Ir)  stake  their  all 
on  a  last  chance,  willing  to  leave  their  biuics  if 
unsuccessful. 

The  spell  that  swayed  the  Spanish  r<inf|uer(irs, 
and  led  them  through  trouical  swamps  and  jun- 
gles ancl  over  almost  impassable  mountain  ranges 
in  search  oi  ]■'.]  Dorado,  still  hangs  over  these 
lanfls.  Men  are  still  risking  their  lives  searching 
for  the  gold  that  they  believe  to  l)e  hidden  away 


04  CUI£NTOS    TICOS 

somewhere  in  the  tropical  wilderness,  and  the 
air  is  full  of  tales  of  buried  treasure,  lost  mines, 
and  fabulously  rich  veins  of  quartz  that  some- 
where off  in  the  mountains  are  yet  awaiting  the 
fortunate  finder. 

The  future  of  these  countries  must  be  of  inter- 
est to  anyone  who  has  lived  in  them.  Up  to  the 
present  the  great  tides  of  human  life  have  swept 
by  them  unheedingly.  They  are  comparatively 
unknown  to  the  great  horde  of  travellers  and 
tourists  that  traverse  Europe,  the  United  States 
and  the  far  East. 

The  constantly  recurring  revolutions,  the  inter- 
necine wars  and  the  fevers  of  the  tropical  coasts 
have  given  them  an  evil  fame  throughout  the 
w^orld.  The  idea  is  growing  in  Europe  as  well  as 
in  the  United  States  that  they  are  not  fit  to  gov- 
ern themselves  but  must  eventually  be  taken 
under  the  wing  of  some  strong  power  that  can 
give  them  a  stable  government.  Yet  if  all  of 
them  were  as  peaceful  and  progressive  as  little 
Costa  Rica,  they  would  soon  lose  that  evil  fame 
and  would  cease  to  be  a  reproach  to  the  country 
that  bore  them. 

How^ever,  if  any  European  power  should  un- 
dertake to  conquer  such  a  country  as  Columbia 
or  Venezuela,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  it  would  have 
a  greater  task  than  had  England  in  South  Africa. 
Each  republic  has  a  i)0])ulation  of  about  three 
million,  instead  of  the  three  hundred  thousand 
odd  of  the  Transvaal  and  the  Orange  Free  State. 
The  per)])Ic  arc  used   to   warfare  and  bloodshed 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  67 

and  with  all  their  faults  are  not  lacking  in  cour- 
age, while  the  natural  difficulties  to  be  encount- 
ered by  an  invading  army  would  be  greater  than 
those  of  South  Africa.  The  mountain  ranges  are 
high  and  precipitous;  there  are  impenetrable  jun- 
gles and  on  the  coast  a  European  army  would 
lose  thousands  of  men  from  fevers  and  other 
diseases. 

An  American  in  any  Central  or  South  Ameri- 
can city  is  often  impressed  by  the  tone  of  un- 
friendly suspicion  and  veiled  hostilitv  displayed 
by  the  local  papers,  and  even  by  individuals,  when 
speaking  of  the  United  States.  It  seems  strange 
considering  our  stand  on  the  Monroe  Doctrine 
and  our  other  friendly  acts.  It  is  doubtless  partlv 
the  fear  of  the  weak  for  the  strong,  but  when  one 
ponders  over  the  facts  of  history,  he  mav  con- 
clude that  there  is  some  ground  for  this  feeling. 
The  Anglo-Saxon  race  has  diminished  Sjjanish 
dominions  considerably.  .As  far  back  as  the  six- 
teenth century  the  English  began  to  prune  for 
their  own  profit  the  great  S])anish  empire. 
British  Honduras.  British  (iuiana  and  all  of  the 
West  Indies  once  belonged  to  Spain.  Wc  Ameri- 
cans have  also  taken  a  hand  in  the  j)Ieasant  pas- 
time. We  took  from  Mexicr),  a  .'Spanish  countrv. 
more  territory  than  is  at  pre'>('nt  comprised 
within  her  l)oundaries.  To  be  sure  we  after- 
wards paid  her  some  millions  f)f  dollars  for  it, 
yet  the  transaction  is  rather  like  going  into  n 
man's  house,  kicking  him  out.  and  at  one's  own 
time  and  pleasure  paying  what  one  thinks  best. 


68  CUENTOS    TICOS 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war, 
we  solemnly  declared  that  we  were  simply  going 
to  right  a  wrong  and  had  no  desire  to  acquire 
territory.  Nevertheless,  we  politely  relieved  Spain 
of  all  her  colonies  of  any  consequence.  No  mat- 
ter how  good  our  reasons  may  have  been  for 
doing  so  it  has  not  increased"  the  affection  of 
Spaniards  or  Spanish  Americans  for  us. 

What  concerns  them  is  that  the  Anglo-Saxon 
is  gradually  encroaching  upon  tbe  Spanish-speak- 
ing nations. 

W'e  are  apt  to  think  of  the  Spanish  race  as 
cruel,  treacherous  and  blood-thirsty.  They  also 
have  an  opinion  of  us.  They  think  us  cold,  cal- 
culating and  hypocritical,  always  seeking  the 
almighty  dollar.  There  may  be  some  grain  of 
truth  in  each  opinion.  Perhaps  we  do  see  the  fin- 
ger of  God  pointing  us  along  the  paths  of  our 
own  interests,  even  as  some  ministers  of  the  Gos- 
pel can  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord  calling  them 
to  a  bigher  salary. 

This  suspicious  fear  of  us  will  account  for  some 
of  their  actions. 

The  rejection  of  the  canal  treaty  last  year  l:)y 
the  Colombian  Congress  was  not  altogether  a 
game  of  "graft"  as  so  many  newspapers  have 
claimed.  Many  Colombians  feared  that  the  canal 
stri])  would  prove  to  be  the  entering  wedge  and 
that  little  by  little  we  would  absorb  the  rest  of 
their  country.  The  Colombian  colony  in  Costa 
Rira  sent  a  cablegram  to  the  congress  while  it 
wa'i  in  session  at   Bogota,  begging  it  to  save  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


71 


national  honor  and  integrity  by  reforms  in  the 
canal  treaty.  The  careless  speeches  and  even  the 
writings  of  some  American  travellers  have  not 
allayed  this  feeling.  Take  for  instance  some  of  the 
opinions  expressed  by  the  writer  already  referred 
to.     In  his  article  on  Central  America  he  says: 


A    BANANA    1*1  ANTATION 

"The  Central  American  citi/.cn  is  no  more  fit 
for  a  republican  form  of  government  thrin  he  is 
for  an  Arctic  expedition,  and  what  he  needs  is  to 
have  a  protectorate  cst.'d)Iished  over  him.  either 
by   the    United   .States    f)r  by  anr)ther   power:    it 


I 


72  CUENTOS    TICOS 

does  not  matter  which,  so  long-  as  it  leaves  tlie 
Nicaragua  canal  in  our  hands." 

A  little  further  on  he  also  says:  "The  Central 
Americans  are  like  a  gang  of  semi-barbarians  in 
a  beautifully  furnished  house,  of  which  they  can 
understand  neither  its  possibilities  of  comfort 
nor  its  use.  They  are  the  dogs  in  the  manger 
among  nations." 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  S])anish- Americans  are 
rather  suspicious  of  our  ultimate  intentions,  and 
are  prone  to  look  on  the  Monroe  Doctrine 
as  a  smiling  mask  behind  which  w^e  are  merely 
awaiting  our  owai  good  time  to  come  and  benevo- 
lently assimilate  them? 

The  time  is  approaching,  perhaps  has  already 
arrived,  when  Spanish-America  will  emerge  from 
its  ()l)scurity  and  occupy  a  larger  place  on  the 
world's  stage.  For  Costa  Rica  that  time  will 
come  with  the  Imilding  of  the  Panama  Canal. 
When  that  great  work  is  well  under  way  she  will 
cease  to  be  an  isolated,  unknown  country. 

She  will  be  next  door  to  one  of  the  great  trade 
routes  of  the  world.  She  will  sell  her  food  prod- 
ucts to  feed  the  thousands  of  laborers  employed 
on  the  construction,  her  cool  highlands  will 
become  a  place  of  refuge  and  recuperation  for 
fever- wasted  men,  and  the  charms  of  San  Jose 
will  become  known. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  her  future  will  be  brighter 
than  her  past  has  been. 


Cuentos  Ticos 

(Costa   Rican  Stories) 
By 

Ricardo  Fernandez  Guardia 


Author's  Note  : 

To  the  reader  who  does  not  know  tliat  in  Central  America  the 
inhabitants  of  Guatemala  are  called  "C'liopines,"  those  ot  Salvador 
and  Honduras  "Guanacos,"  those  of  Nicaragua  "Nicos"  and  "I'ino- 
liiis,"  and  the  Ci>sla  Kicans  "Ticos,"  the  title  of  this  book  will  be 
unintelligible.  The  author  has  chosen  it  as  the  most  apprppriate 
for  a  work  which  from  its  character  is  not  intended  to  overstep 
the  boundaries  of  the  little  fatherland,  Costa  Rica,  or  at  most 
those   of  our   larger    fatherland,   Cmtral    America. 


EL  ESTRENO. 
(the  debut.) 

As  the  clock  struck  four,  Don  Gregorio 
Lopez,  second  civil  judge  of  the  province 
of  San  Jose,  folded  up  with  one  motion 
tiie  judicial  papers  he  was  studying,  and  pushing 
back  the  leather  c^'vered  armchair  in  which  his 
tlhn  person  rested  dail)-  during  the  appointed 
hours,  stretclied  himself  vigorously,  extending 
his  arms  like  a  cross  and  chncliing  his  fists, 
while  his  mouth  opened  wide  in  a  long  yawn 
which  moistened  iiis  eyes.  The  hour  for  going 
had  arri\ed.  a  blessed  hour  for  scholars  and  of- 
ficials. Don  Gregorio  stood  up  and  finished 
stretching  himself  (jn  tiptoe,  as  though  to 
awaken  the  muscles  of  his  legs,  asleej)  from  such 
long  inacti\ily.  fhcn  he  took  tbrei*  steps  to- 
ward the  wall,  where  on  a  rack  hung  liis  hat.  of 
majestic,  jurlicial  form,  which  he  put  on  alnmsl  to 
his  ears,  according  to  the  old  custom,  fuj-  the 
judge  belonged  to  the  generation  now  almost 
passerl  away,  which  wears  its  hat  tilted  back  and 
its  waistcoat  half  buttfmed. 

Armed   with  an   immcn-^o  nmbn-lla.  capable  I'f 

75 


76  CUENTOS    TICOS 

serving  as  a  shelter  to  a  family  in  case  of  need, 
he  started,  passing  through  the  office  of  the  sec- 
retary of  the  court,  of  whom,  and  of  the  clerks, 
he  took  his  leave  with  an  affectionate  "hasta 
mahana. '""■■' 

In  the  corridors  he  ran  across  Juan  Bias  the 
porter,  who  was  vexed  on  seeing  that  already 
almost  all  of  his  colleagues  had  gained  their  lib- 
erty, hut  Don  Gregorio  Lopez  was  a  chronometer, 
a  man  of  scrupulous  conscience,  wdio  w'ould  not 
skimp  his  time  or  work.  When  he  was  about  to 
set  foot  in  the  street  he  heard  a  familiar  voice 
which  asked  from  the  vestibule,  "What  is  God 
doing  with  that  life  of  yours.  Don  Gregorio?" 
The  judge  turned  to  answer  the  salute  of  Don 
Cirilo  Vargas,  Magistrate  of  the  Court  of 
Casacion.f  The  two  men  of  the  law  c'asped 
hands,  and  after  affectionate  inr|uiries  from  each 
about  the  condition  of  their  respective  families, 
they  went  on  together  to  the  corner  of  the 
Palace  of  Justice,  wdiere  they  paused  to  converse 
a  while.  After  a  little  thev  separated  with  an- 
other hand  shake,  Don  Cirilo  goino-  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  market  and  the  judge  with  much  haste 
towards  the  Central  Park,  because  it  was 
threatening  rain  and  he  lived  far  off  in  the  plaza 
of  la  Soledad.  But  he  had  walked  only  a  few 
steps,  when  turning  about  suddenly,  he  called : 

"Don  Cirilo;    Don  Cirilo!" 

He  of  the  Casacion  stopped  in  an  exjiectant 
attitude,  but  Don  Gregorio  who  was  advancing 

•Until     to-morrow. 
tAppeals. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  79 

with  an  air  visibly  perplexed  and  bothered, 
stopped  again,  saying.  "It  is  nothing,  Don  Cirilo, 
pardon  me  for  calling  you.  I  wanted  to  consult 
you  about  something  that  perplexes  me.  but  there 
is  no  hurry;  some  other  day,  for  the  rain  is  com- 
ing on  us  now." 

"When  you  wish;  I  am  always  at  your 
service,"  replied  the  magistrate. 

The  judge  thanked  him  and  continued  on  his 
way  liurriedly.  for  the  sky  was  clouding  u])  more 
and  more.  Don  Gregorio  was  not  only  in  a  great 
hurry  that  afternoon,  but  also  in  a  devilish  humor. 
As  he  traversed  the  Central  Park,  deserted  on  ac- 
count of  the  approaching  rain  storm,  he  let  loose 
two  or  three  imprecations  and  some  bits  of  that 
about  which  he  was  meditating:  "Cursed 
woman  !  What  a  passion  for  making  me  ridicu- 
lous!" Then  a  little  later  when  he  was  passing 
by  the  side  of  the  Bishop's  Palace  he  stopped 
and  exclaimerl :  'T  zi'oii't  say  it  to  Don  Cirilo." 
This  violent  resolution  seemed  to  calm  him  a 
little.  As  some  large  drops  were  beginning  to 
fall  which  sounded  loud  on  the  neighboring  tile- 
roofs,  he  took  out  his  umbrella,  which  he  was 
carrying  under  his  arm.  and  commenced  to  walk 
with  all  the  si)eed  possible  to  his  poor  legs,  grown 
old  in  the  chairs  of  twenty  i)ublic  offices, 
and  to  an  ingrowing  toenail,  which  was  one  of 
the  torments  of  his  life. 

When  he  reached  home  all  the  cataracts  of  the 
sky  precipitated  themselves  upon  the  cai)ital.  a 
circumstance  which  stirred  up  his  ire  anew,  be- 


80  CUENTOS    TICOS 

cause  he  had  such  a  horror  of  wetting  himself 
that  evil  tongues  asserted  that,  since  the  day  of 
his  baptism,  water  had  not  touched  him.  Al- 
though it  is  probable  that  in  this  there  might  be 
some  exaggeration,  it  is  certain  that  Don  Gre- 
gorio  believed  firmly  in  the  national  saying  that 
"earth  on  the  body  is  better  than  the  body  in  the 
earth."  This  he  never  forgot  to  repeat  to  his 
daughter  Aurelia  whenever  he  heard  her  splash- 


THE   BISHOP  S    PALACE 


ing  about  in  the  bathroom.  When  he  was  under 
cover,  the  judge  commenced  by  putting  his 
enormous  umbrella,  from  the  point  of  which  is- 
sued a  fountain,  to  dry  in  the  corridor.*  Next  he 
changed  his  wet  boots  for  some  canvas  slippers. 
Then,    wondering    at    not    seeing    his    wife    or 

*The    gallery    or    covered    walk    about    the    patio    or    courtyard    of 
Spanish-American   houses  is   known   as  the   corridor. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  8l 

daughter  ready  to  aid  him  in  these  important  oper- 
ations, he  went  to  look  for  them  where  they  were 
accustomed  to  sew.     The  room  was  empty. 

Little,  or  more  correctly,  no  desire  had  the 
judge  of  seeing  his  wife  at  that  time,  since  she  was 
the  cause  of  his  bad  humor;  nevertheless  as  the 
unaccustomed  absence  of  the  ladies  at  the  dinner 
hour  surprised  him,  he  went  to  the  kitchen  to 
learn  of  their  whereabouts  from  the  servants. 
There  he  learned  from  Kamona,  a  rc)lni>l  maiden 
from  Curridabat.'''  who  susi)ended  her  kitchen 
tasks  to  inform  him,  that  Dona  Catalina  and  the 
ycting  lady  Aurclia  had  gone  shopping,  taking 
the  maid  servant  with  them.  It  would  seem  natu- 
ral that,  on  learning  what  he  wante<l  to  know, 
Don  (iregorio  would  retire  from  the  kitchen; 
nevertheless,  one  must  suppose  that  he  did  not 
so  intend  since  he  remained  in  the  same  spot  look- 
ing with  manifest  pleasure  at  the  i)luiiip  charms 
of  the  maiden.  For  Raniona  was  a  very  pretty 
girl.  Her  eyes,  large  and  full,  were  not  lacking  in 
mischief :  her  xc-ry  abundant  blue  black  liair  was 
in  two  bandsfjme  braids;  her  mouth  was  pretty, 
her  teeth  white;  and  lier  brown  skin,  smooth  and 
lustrous,  showed  the  Indian  blood  of  her  an- 
cestors. 

The  judge  looked  admiringly  at  her  firni 
breast  and  well-rounded  arms,  which  emerged 
bare  from  the  low-necked  and  sbort-slccved 
garment  of  her  class.  All  bis  life  he  had  been 
very  partial   to  plump  women,   or  at   least   well 

•A    vill.igc    nc.Tr    S.in   Jose. 


i 


82  CUENTOS    TICOS 

rounded  ones,  and  such  had  been  Dona  CataHna 
when  he  married  her.  However  as  time  passed, 
cruel  and  mocking  Destiny  had  taken  a  hand  in 
the  matter  in  the  form  of  dyspepsia,  and  she  who 
had  formerly  been  shapely  and  rosy  had  now 
become  thin  and  yellow  like  a  bit  of  macaroni. 
Ramona,  whom  the  breezes  of  San  Jose  had 
sharpened  considerably,  doubtless  read  some 
audacious  thought  in  the  brilliant  pupils  of  the 
judge,  since  she  directed  a  glance  at  him  which 
made  him  understand  that  he  was  in  a  bad  posture 
and  that  his  dignity  was  in  peril.  Without  wait- 
ing more  he  turned  about. 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  serve  dinner?"  said  the 
girl  politely,  on  seeing  him  go  away.  "Dofia 
Catalina  cannot  come  before  it  clears  up." 

"No,  thank  you.  I  shall  wait  until  the  ladies 
return." 

Don  Gregorio  marched  to  the  bedroom  of  his 
wife,  which  was  also  his,  and  taking  out  a  key 
from  the  bottom  of  a  porcelain  flower  bowl 
opened  with  it  a  wardrobe  of  Spanish  cedar,  of 
monumental  proportions.  The  judge  disappeared 
completely  within  that  venerable  piece  of  family 
furniture,  but  soon  emerged  again,  with  a  bottle 
in  one  hand  anfl  a  glass  in  the  other.  After  tak- 
ing a  scrutinizing  glance,  as  though  to  make 
sure  nobody  saw  him,  he  filled  the  cup  to  the  brim 
and  drank  it  at  one  gulp. 

In  that  act.  seemingly  innocent,  Don  Gregorio 
Lopez,  second  civil  judge  of  the  province  of  San 
Jose,  had  committed  a  misdemeanor  punishable 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


83 


by  Article  473  of  the  Fiscal  Code  of  1885.  The 
liquid  which  the  bottle  contained  was  contraband 
brandy,  with  which  a  friend  and  comrade  from 
Puriscal  kept  him  constantly  supplied.  One  can 
be  a  model  official,  an  honest  judge,  and  a  man  of 
chastity,  and  at  the  same  time  be  unable  to  resist 
the  seduction  of  a  little  glass  of  contraband 
"Guaro"*  or  of  a  little  cigar  of  "Chircagre."}- 

An  example  of  this  was  Don  Gregorio,  who, 
while  he  had  been  able  to  defend  himself  asrainst 


IN    THE    PATIO    or    A    l-RIVATK    KESIDENCE 


the  terrible  tcni])tation  of  phimi)  firm  llcsh,  pre- 
serving the  fidelity  owed  to  his  very  thin  C'ala- 
lina,  was  never  able  to  concjuer  his  tyrannical 
appetite  for  contraband  brandy.  Less  strong  than 
that  had  been  his  profound  respect  for  the  law,  the 
voice  of  his  conscience,  and  even  the  fear  in^pir(<l 
by  his  wife  who  had  lost  no  chance  of  condenm- 
ing  such  a  shameful  weakness.  All  that  she  could 
gain  was  that  he  should  concede  to  her  the  cus- 
tody of  the  exquisite  lifjuor.  to  avfiid  that  her 
luisband's   irresistible    inclination   should   dcgen- 

•Nativc   brnndy    made    from   sugar   cane. 

tA    famous    tobacco    formerly    grr>wn    and    roM    aRainst    Ibc    law. 


84  CUENTOS    TICOS 

erate  with  abuse  into  a  vice.  For  this  reason  he 
was  kept  on  a  ration;  a  dram  in  the  morning,  and 
a  dram  in  the  afternoon  before  dinner  to  give  an 
appetite.  Dona  Catahna  herself  measured  the 
pittance,  and  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  the  inter- 
ested party  she  always  found  a  way  to  skimp  it  a 
little.  That  afternoon,  traitorously  taking  advan- 
tage of  his  wife's  absence,  the  judge  had  served 
himself  with  the  large  spoon.  Nor  was  this 
the  worst,  since,  encouraged  by  the  good  success 
of  his  first  exploit,  he  was  now  meditating  a  sec- 
ond even  more  wicked  while  he  was  putting  the 
things  back  in  the  wardrobe;  nothing  less  than  to 
keep  his  mouth  closed  and  have  another  go  at  the 
bottle  when  his  wife  returned.  This  pleasant 
prospect  caused  Don  Gregorio,  who  had  reached 
home  in  a  very  hostile  disposition,  to  quiet  down 
considerably.  As  he  had  resolved  not  to  dine 
until  the  ladies  returned,  he  went  to  await  them 
in  the  drawing  room,  where  he  installed  himself 
comfortably  m  a  rocking  chair,  after  taking  out 
a  newspaper  from  the  drawer  of  a  table.  Before 
starting  to  read  he  inspected  the  street  through 
the  window.  Not  a  soul  was  passing  and  the  rain 
kept  falling  in  torrents,  inundating  streets  and 
patios.  The  judge  spread  out  the  paper,  the 
only  one  that  found  entrance  into  his  house,  "La 
Union  CatoHca,"*  for  Don  Gregorio  Lopez,  a 
man  addicted  to  old  fashions,  who  wore  half 
boots,  was  a  fervent  though  bashful  Catholic. 
For  a  long  time  he  took  no  care  to  conceal  his 

•The   Catholic   Uni->n. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  85 

beliefs  nor  his  practices,  but  since  liberal  breezes 
had  begun  to  blow  in  the  government,  and  he 
had  seen  with  stupefaction  that  the  Sehor  Bishop 
and  the  Jesuit  fathers  had  gone  out  into  exile,  he 
thought  the  moment  had  arrived  for  relegating 
his  faith  to  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  and  in  regard 
to  masses  he  attended  only  that  at  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  concealing  himself  behind  a  con- 
fessional box.  Ai)parently,  and  in  order  not  to  go 
against  the  current,  he  applauded  the  great  legis- 
lative reforms  of  the  new  men,  but  privately  he 
did  not  cease  to  bewail  the  corruption  of  customs 
and  the  progress  which  liberalism  and  unbelief 
were  making,  not  onlv  in  the  educated  classes  and 
particularly  in  the  young  students,  l)ut  also  among 
the  artisans,  who  now  believed  neither  in  God  nor 
the  devil. 

Full  of  anxiety,  he  asked  himself  where  society 
anrl  the  country  would  sto|),  when  the  so  neces- 
sary bit  of  religion  should  cease  to  exist,  aliove  all 
if  iflcas  kept  on  advancing,  although  this  he  did 
not  consider  possible,  because  I'ro\idencc  would 
surely  end  by  getting  angry  and  jnitting  things 
to  rights. 

"At  the  pace  we  arc  going,"  he  often  said  to 
himself,  "We'll  have  another  French  revolu- 
tion here  very  soon." 

For  this  reason  he  greatly  admired  in  secret 
the  daring  of  the  paladincs  of  "La  I'nion  Cato- 
lica"  who  did  not  hesitate  to  tell  some  plain  truths 
to  those  u|)Start  liberals,  and  even  to  the  masons 
themselves,  a  sect  which  insi)ired  him  with  mys- 


86  CUENTOS    TICOS 

terioLis  terror.  Don  Gregorio  was  prudence  per- 
sonified, and  in  his  long  life  as  a  public  employe 
he  had  learned  that  to  fight  against  the  govern- 
ment is  to  kick  against  the  pricks,  and  for  this 
reason  he  confided  his  private  thoughts  to  no- 
body. As  everybody  always  saw  him  on  friendly 
terms  with  politicians  and  other  people  not  very 
Catliolic,  he  passed  generally  for  a  man  of  pro- 
gress and  of  liberal  ideas.  In  order  not  to  com- 
promise this  reputation,  which  was  of  advantage 
to  him,  the  judge  carried  his  diplomacy  to  the 
extreme  of  not  appearing  in  the  list  of  subscribers 
to  the  clerical  daily,-  which  the  curate  of  La 
Soledad,  a  warm  friend  of  his,  sent  to  him  every 
day  by  an  acolyte.  Don  Gregorio  buried  himself 
in  an  article  by  Father  Birot  against  the  Protes- 
tants, who  were  trying  to  save  souls  with  cheap 
Bibles  and  discordant  songs. 

The  rumble  of  a  carriage  which  stopped  in 
front  of  the  house  aroused  him  from  his  interest- 
ing reading.  He  put  away  the  newspaper  and 
went  to  the  window,  arriving  in  time  to  see  the 
maid,  who  jumped  from  the  carriage  and  ran  into 
the  porch  of  the  house.  The  judge  went  out  in 
search  of  the  umbrella,  giving  it  to  the  girl  to 
cover  her  mistresses. 

The  ladies  got  out  with  some  difficulty,  because 
they  did  not  wish  to  wet  their  skirts  nor  expose 
more  than  was  strictly  necessary,  with  a  modesty 
so  much  the  more  worthy  of  approbation  since 
nobody,  except  the  judge  or  the  coachman,  could 
see  them.     The  rain  had  kept  them  in  the  dress- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  87 

maker's  house,  where  they  arrived  late.  In  pass- 
ing they  had  stopped  to  see  various  friends,  in 
search  of  fashion  plates.  As  it  concerned  a  thing 
so  important  as  the  costume  in  which  Aurelia, 
who  had  just  completed  her  seventeenth  year, 
would  make  her  debut  in  the  approaching  official 
ball  which  the  government  was  giving  on  the  an- 
niversary of  Independence,  it  was  well  to  take 
much  thought  before  making  a  decision.  For 
this  reason,  and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  ladies 
had  passed  all  the  middle  of  the  day  in  going  and 
coming,  nothing  was  definitely  settled,  although 
now  they  had  only  to  decide  on  one  of  the  two 
models  that  they  had  set  aside,  one  rose  color  and 
the  other  white.  The  judge,  whom  these  matters 
of  gew  gaws  and  trinkets  interested  very  little, 
remarked  on  the  suitableness  of  dining.  On  liear- 
ing  this,  .Aurelia.  who  gave  promise  of  being  a 
good  little  housewife,  went  to  the  dining-room  to 
aid  the  maid  servant  in  setting  the  table,  and 
Dona  Catalina  followed  by  her  husband  went  to 
her  room  to  give  him  his  half-daily  dram.  Un- 
moved, Don  firegorio  drank  it  without  the  least 
suspicion  entering  the  mind  of  the  e\trcincl\-  U-.-m 
larly,  occupied  with  the  costume  of  her  daughter. 
If  this  circumstance  bad  not  intervened,  it  was 
almost  certain  that  the  iinpcniti-nt  inriii.  addiiMcd 
to  forbiclden  drams,  would  have  taken  a  most 
bitter  one.  for  Dona  Catalitia  was  malice  incar- 
nate, and  \crv  acute,  which  bad  Cdntribntcij  not 
a  little  toward  keeping  the  judge  within  the  limits 
of  fbr  most  strict  (•MninL^'ll  fidclifv. 


88  cuENTos  Tn:os 

After  taking  away  the  soup  plates  the  maid 
put  the  rest  of  the  dinner  upon  the  taljle;  the  clas- 
sic dish  of  boiled  meat  and  vegetables,  a  hash  with 
peas,  a  piece  of  fried  beef  and  a  large  dish  of  rice. 
Don  Gregorio,  who  had  a  good  appetite,  ate 
heartily  of  everything,  in  contrast  to  his  wife, 
victim  of  a  poor  one,  who  li\ed  only  on  chavotes''' 
and  a  glass  or  two  of  milk.  Neither  was  the  young 
girl  a  good  eater,  showing  a  preference  for  the 
picadillos,f  esi>ecially  for  the  one  of  green  i)lan- 
tain.  Like  her  father  and  mother,  she  was  rather 
thin,  so  that  scarcity  of  flesh  seemed  a  rule  in  that 
family.  After  an  interval  of  silence,  the  costume 
of  Aurelia  was  talked  of  anew,  and  others  that 
the  ladies  had  seen  at  the  dressmakers  were  also 
discussed.  Finally  the  conversation,  always  turn- 
ing about  the  matters  of  the  ball,  settled  down 
on  the  grave  subject  of  the  turkey.:}:  The  prospect 
of  not  finding  a  partner  for  a  dance  is  a  thing 
which  everywhere  alarms  the  women,  but  among 
us  it  causes  veritable  terror.  The  strange  part  of 
it  is  that  they  should  compare  such  a  disagreeable 
time  to  a  meal  of  turkey,  a  fowl  so  palatable.  The 
young  girl  declared  she  would  not  go  to  the  ball 
if  she  did  not  have  her  programme  full  before- 
hand. 

*Tf  it  is  to  eat  turkey,"  she  said,  "I  prefer  to 
stay  right  at  home  in  bed." 

"Go  away  with  your  foolishness,"  replied  the 
judge.  "These  girls  nowadays  have  some  very 
rare  ideas." 

•A    vepctable    much    used    in    tropical    America. 

tA    dish    of    hashed    meat    and    vegetables. 

tin   Costa   Rican   dances,  to  eat  turkey  means  to  be  a  wall-flower. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  89 

"You  are  right,  Aiirelia,"  interrupted  Dona 
Catalina.  "I  don't  want  them  to  say  here  after- 
wards that  you  haven't  moved  from  your  chair 
all  the  evening.  Moreover  it's  a  sad  thing  to  come 
out  in  society  eating  turkey." 

"Well,  what  I  maintain,"  said  the  judge  again, 
"is  that  there  is  nothing  more  ridiculous  than  this 
absurd  preoccu[)ation  which  demands  that  the 
girls  dance  all  night  without  stopping,  even 
though  they  may  be  dead  tired  or  a  slipper  may 
be  pinching  them.  It  also  seems  very  improper 
to  me  to  engage  dances  a  nmnth  ahead." 

"That  is  all  very  well."  replied  the  lady,  "but 
until  the  custom  changes  one  has  to  do  like  the 
others.  What  I  consider  shameful  is  the  conduct 
of  the  young  men,  who  go  to  the  balls  only  to  eat 
and  drink,  and  what  is  worse,  to  laugh  at  the  poor 
girls  who  are  dying  of  embarrassment,  seated 
against  the  wall." 

"That's  true,"  said  the  judge,  "hi  my  time  the 
young  men  were  l)ettcr  l)red." 

Dona  Catalina  meditated  a  while,  recalling 
without  doubt  the  times  which  her  husband  had 
alluded  to.  Suddenly  she  raised  her  bead  and 
asked  him  : 

"Have  you  spoken  to  Don  Cirilo?" 

Don  Grcgorio  felt  bis  wrath  rctin-ning. 

"T  have  already  told  you  that  that  is  impos- 
sible." be  replied  angrily. 

"Impossible!"  exclaimed  the  lady  petulantly. 
"I  don't  see  why  it  is.  Don  Cirilo  i-^  indebted  to 
you  for  some  great  favors.      What  barm  i*^  it  to 


90  CUENTOS    TICOS 

ask  him  one  that  won't  cost  him  anything?  My 
father  was  right  when  he  said  you  never  would 
be  any  good."  The  judge  felt  himself  grow 
pale  with  wrath  and  was  on  the  point  of 
letting  off  a  broadside  at  his  wife,  and  even  at  his 
defunct  father-in-law,  whose  memory  w^as  partic- 
ularly distasteful  to  him.  The  presence  of  the 
young  girl,  and  perhaps  also  the  bitter  remem- 
brance that  he  had  of  those  conjugal  encounters, 
in  which  he  was  always  the  under  dog,  restrained 
him.  Aurelia,  respectful,  and  ignorant  of  the 
cause  of  the  trouble,  did  not  dare  to  interfere  be- 
tween her  angry  parents.  After  a  painful  silence, 
the  judge  continued  more  calmly : 

"If  it  concerned  only  Don  Cirilo,  who  is  my 
friend,  I  would  not  say  no,  but  you  know  already 
that  — " 

"Very  well."  interrupted  Dona  Catalina  wdth 
a  warning  nod  toward  Aurelia.  The  judge  be- 
came silent.  Neither  of  the  two  wanted  the  girl 
to  learn  about  the  matter  which  had  not  ceased  to 
be  a  delicate  one,  as  will  be  seen.  Dona  Catalina, 
of  a  very  humble  origin,  but  who  had  always  had 
great  aspirations,  hoped  that  Aurelia  would  reach 
heights  which  she  herself,  daughter  of  Jose  Cor- 
doba, master  carpenter  of  the  Puebla,*  had  not 
been  able  to  attain,  even  though  she  had  climbed 
up  some  rounds  of  the  social  ladder  by  means  of 
her  marriage  with  the  lawyer  Don  Gregorio 
Lopez.  However,  it  w^as  not  hidden  from  the  am- 
bitious lady  that  now  she  could  climb  no  higher, 

*A  district  in  San  Jose. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  9 1 

as  her  husband  was  not  rich,  talented,  nor  of  dis- 
tinguished family.  In  her  daughter's  case  she 
imagined  that  the  thing  would  be  much  easier, 
because  Aurelia,  placed  in  better  conditions, 
would  not  meet  with  the  same  obstacles  that  had 
closed  the  way  for  her;  and.  as  the  girl  was  pretty 
and  had  good  manners,  she  hoped  that  she  would 
make  a  good  marriage.  With  this  end  in  view 
the  lady  had  begun  to  pre|)are  the  ground  with 
much  patience  and  skill.  One  of  the  means  that 
she  had  regarded  as  most  efticaciDUS  to  gain  her 
point,  was  putting  the  young  lady  in  the  college 
of  Our  Lady  of  Zion,*  so  that,  together  with 
good  instruction  and  distinguished  manners,  she 
might  be  making  friendships  advantageous  for 
the  future,  although  the  truth  was  that  to  date 
the  results  were  not  in  proportion  to  the  sacrifices 
which  Dona  Catalina  had  made  to  keep  her 
daughter  in  this  aristocratic  house  for  four  vcars. 
The  little  friends  who  had  been  so  afTectionate 
in  the  convent  were  now  each  time  more  reserved 
with  Aurelia.  Social  distinctions  little  by  little 
began  to  raise  their  l)arriers  between  the  daughter 
of  the  judge  and  her  companions,  better  burn  or 
richer.  How  many  friendships  die  in  the  same 
way  on  the  thresholds  of  scholastic  balls!  Never- 
theless the  i)crscvcring  mamma  did  not  lose 
heart  in  her  undertaking,  and  in  spite  ni  her  in- 
tolerant temper,  took  pains  to  hide  the  mortifica- 
tion which  the  slitrhts  offered  to  her  daughter 
caused  her.     She  thought,  and  with  reason,  that 

•A    school    for    voiing    la'lic*    in    the    convent    rif    tli.T)    n.itnr. 


9-  CUENTOS    TICOS 

skill  was  of  more  account  than  force.  This  same 
tenacity  in  her  scheme  had  been  the  cause  of  her 
dispute  with  Don  Gregorio.  Very  much  taken 
up  with  the  first  appearance  of  her  daughter  in  an 
official  ball,  she  wanted  Aurelia  to  figure  among 
the  very  first,  dancing  with  the  flower  and  the 
cream  of  the  young  men. 

The  matter  of  the  first  dance  to  which  our 
women  attach  so  much  importance,  appeared 
to  Doha  Catalina  as  the  most  difficult  of  all  the 
problems  that  she  had  to  solve  on  this  occasion. 
She  considered  it  indispensable  that  the  young 
lady  should  dance  with  some  one  of  much  pres- 
tige, so  that  her  initiation  into  social  life  might 
be  very  brilliant  and  notable.  With  this  end  in 
view  she  had  reviewed  lists  of  youths  who  might 
do  for  the  event,  and,  after  profound  meditation, 
she  saw  clearly  that  in  the  whole  city  of  San  Jose 
there  was  but  one  gentleman  in  whose  person  all 
the  necessary  requirements  were  united.  He  was 
the  oldest  son  of  Don  Cirilo  Vargas,  magistrate 
of  the  Court  of  Casacion. 

Ricardo  Vargas  was  without  doubt  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  young  men  of  the  capital.  By 
birth  he  belonged  to  one  of  the  first  families  of 
the  country;  in  intellect  and  learning,  to  the 
aristocracy  of  talent.  Still  very  young,  scarcely 
twenty-six  years  old,  he  was  already  considered 
one  of  the  best  advocates  of  the  Costa  Rican  bar. 
A  good  figure,  together  with  elegant  and  pleasing 
manners,  served  as  a  setting  for  these  gifts. 

It  was  not  strange,  then,  that  more  than  one 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  93 

lovely  Josefina*  should  go  lo  her  window  when 
he  passed,  or  should  follow  him  with  lingering 
glances  in  the  Central  Park  or  in  the  Avenue 
of  the  Dames. 

The  person  being  found,  the  most  delicate  point 
of  the  problem  still  remained  to  be  solved.  How 
could  she  arrange  it  so  that  Ricardo  Vargas,  an 
aristocrat  over  whom  the  most  haughty  senoritas 
were  jealous,  should  have  the  first  dance  with 
Aurelia  Lopez,  a  young  lady  who  was  poor  and 
not  too  well  connected. 

After  much  hesitating.  Dona  Catalina  finally 
remembered  that  years  ago,  at  the  time  when 
General  Guardia  was  governing  the  country,  her 
husband  had  done  a  very  great  favor  for  Don 
Cirilo  Vargas.  Pie.  becoming  involved  in  a  con- 
spiracy, found  himself  a  i)risoner  and  on  the  eve 
of  going  out  into  exile,  when  his  wife,  on  the  ad- 
vice of  a  friend,  begged  Don  Grcgorio  Lopez,  at 
that  time  emi)loycd  as  prixate  secretary  to  the 
president,  to  intercede  in  favor  of  her  husband. 
Don  Gregorio  was  supposed  to  have  sornc  influ- 
ence over  the  mind  of  the  dictator.  Whether  he 
had  it  or  not,  the  result  of  his  intervention  was 
very  efficacious,  because  Don  Cirilo  not  only  re- 
covered his  freedom  but  cnmc  out  of  prison  to 
occupy  a  public  office  of  importance. 

Since  this  debt  of  gratitude  ha<1  been  contracted 
by  the  magistrate.  D"na  Catalina  thought  tb.il 
the  moment  had  arrived  for  collecting  it;  and 
taking  advantage  one  night  of  the  intimacy  of 

*Thc  women  of  .S.in  Jnnc  arc  called  Jrncfina^  in  Cnxtn   Kica. 


94  CUENTOS    TICOS 

the  conjugal  couch,  she  explained  her  plans  to 
the  judge. 

lie  disapproved  of  them  roundly,  saying  that 
the  matter  was  a  delicate  one  and  that  she  must 
be  aware  of  the  fact;  that  although  he  did  not 
doubt  the  good  will  of  Don  Cirilo,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  reckon  also  with  the  consent  of  the  young 
lawyer. 

The  judge  brought  forth  many  other  reasons  to 
dissuade  his  wife  from  carrying  out  her  project; 
but  Dona  Catalina,  always  accustomed  to  hav- 
ing her  own  way,  heard  her  husband  as  one  who 
hears  it  rain,  resolving  to  wait  for  a  more  propi- 
tious time.  But  from  that  night  not  a  day  passed 
that  disagreeable  words  and  disputes  did  not 
arise.  Dofia  Catalina  persisted  obstinately  in  the 
affirmative  and  Don  Gregorio  in  the  negative. 
And  thus  it  was  that  the  ball  of  the  15th  of  Sep- 
tember was  becoming  an  apple  of  discord  in  that 
family. 

The  harassed  judge  could  find  no  way  to  escape 
from  the  embarrassment  which  the  obstinacy  of 
his  wife  caused  him. 

Many  times  he  was  on  the  point  of  making  a 
clean  breast  of  it  to  the  magistrate,  but  when  the 
critical  moment  arrived,  the  thing  he  was  going 
to  say  stuck  in  his  throat.  Each  time  the  situa- 
tion grew  worse,  for  as  the  date  of  the  ball  drew 
nearer  the  importunity  and  bad  humor  of  Dona 
Catalina  increased.  Aurelia,  who  usually  was 
very  easy  going,  now  had  no  rest  for  thinking  of 
the  turkev,  and  could  not  understand  for  what 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  95 

reason  her  mamma  had  forbidden  her  to  engage 
the  first  dance.  She  herself  would  have  liked  well 
to  dance  it  with  Pedro  Cervantes,  a  very  attrac- 
tive young  law  student,  who  looked  at  her  a  good 
deal  in  the  park  and  often  stopped  at  her  street 
corner.  Her  mamma,  however,  had  taken  a  great 
dislike  to  the  youth  and  did  not  waste  any  oppor- 
tunity to  ridicule  him.  saying  that  he  was  a 
*'C(jncho."*  and  calling  him  'Norf  Pedro.  On  the 
other  hand  I)nn  Gregorio  undertook  his  defence, 
putting  him  up  in  the  clouds  as  a  well-behaved 
and  industrious  student.  lie  said  that  the  poor 
fellow  was  not  to  blame  for  being  the  son  of  a 
countryman,  and  moreover  that  there  was  not  the 
least  disgrace  in  it,  on  the  contrary  his  merit  was 
all  the  greater  because  he  owed  everything  to  his 
own  efTorts.  "Pedro  will  very  soon  be  a  lawyer," 
he  was  accustomed  to  say,  "and  in  Costa  Rica  the 
lawyers  are  good  for  everything,  even  to  conduct 
a  mass.  It  is  true  that  the  profession  has  not 
made  me  rich,  but  it  has  always  given  me  enough 
to  eat.  Remember  what  I  say;  that  boy  will  some 
day  be  a  cabinet  minister  like  Don  I'\ilano  and 
Don  Pcrenccjo.":*:  and  he  nu-ntioned  some  wi'll- 
known  names. 

Nevertheless  the  weighty  arguments  of  Don 
Gregorio  did  not  convince  the  lady  who.  like  the 
skilful  adversary  she  was.  was  very  handy  with 
trifling  ones. 

One  day  the   judge,  exaspcrntcd   by  the   pcr- 

•A    country    bumpkin. 

t,\   ro'ilr.iction  of  HpHor   U<icil   by  thr   Cfniniry   i....iilr   of   Coula   Rica. 
tliflofinito    names   used   as  one    uses   in    Knglish    "nuch   a   one   and 
80  and   so." 


g6  CUENTOS    TICOS 

sistency  of  his  wife  that  he  should  speak  to  Don 
Cirilo,  exclaimed  aggressively:  "Why  don't  you 
go  to  Doha  Inez  and  tell  her  what  you  want?" 
Doiia  Inez  was  the  wife  of  the  magistrate. 

"/  talk  to  that  stupid  bundle  of  conceit  who 
thinks  herself  the  daughter  of  the  Eternal 
Father,"  replied  the  lady  angrily.  "I  see  that 
you  are  more  stupid  every  day."  And  this  was 
the  truth,  not  in  regard  to  the  growing  stupidity 
of  the  judge,  but  the  arrogance  of  Don  Cirilo's 
wife.  Without  literally  believing  that  she  was 
directly  sprung  from  the  Creator  of  the  universe, 
Dona  Inez  had  the  highest  opinion  of  her  lineage 
and  aristocratic  position,  like  a  good  and  legiti- 
mate daughter  of  the  most  noble  and  loyal  city  of 
Cartago.*  Outside  of  her  relatives  and  some 
other  families,  Carthaginians  of  course,  there  did' 
not  exist  for  her  other  than  half  breeds  and  coun- 
try yokels.  Don  Gregorio  wished  that  his  wife 
would  commend  herself  to  some  good  saint. 

The  indomitable  tenacity  of  the  lady  finally 
prevailed  over  the  scruples  of  her  husband.  On 
the  afternoon  of  the  14th  of  September,  as  he 
came  out  of  the  Palace  of  Justice  in  company 
with  the  magistrate,  he  told  him.  with  much 
halting  and  many  preambles,  all  about  it.  Dcmt 
Cirilo,  somewhat  surprised,  nevertheless  took 
kindly  to  the  petition  of  his  friend,  promising  to 
talk  to  his  son  immediately,  and  assuring  liim 
that  if  Ricardo  had  not  already  engaged  himself 
he  should  dance  with  Aurelia. 

*The    former   capital    of   Costa    Rica. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


97 


"In  case  he  has  done  so.  I  shall  send  you  word 
before  seven  o'clock,"  added  the  magistrate,  Don 
Gregorio  returned  to  his  house  so  pleased  at  hav- 
ing finally  fulfilled  his  contract  that  he  was  not 
averse  to  confessing  that  his  wife  had  done  right 
in  persisting  in  her  project.  That  same  night,  not 
having  received  any  word  from  Don  Cirilo,  when 


(  HI  I<(  II      OF     I. A      SItl.KllAI) 


the  family  was  gathered  together  for  the  even- 
ing chocolate,  and  the  hells  of  La  Soledad  were 
tolling  "Las  Animas."*  the  judge  nnnduiued  to 
his  surprised  daughter  that  Hicardo  Vargas 
would  dance  the  first  numlu'r  with  her  at  the  h.ill 
of  the  iicxt  evening. 

As    the    morning    of    the    13th    dawned,    the 

•The    sm.ls. 


98  GUIs     TOS    TICCJS 

reveilles  and  cannon  shots,  which  announced 
the  glorious  anniversary  of  Independence,  began 
to  interrupt  the  profound  slumber  of  Don 
Gregorio  Lopez,  who  was  sleeping  quietly  for 
the  first  time  since  the  conjugal  distur1)ances 
began.  Dona  Catalina.  contrary  to  her  custom, 
awoke  in  a  good  humor,  since  the  joy  which 
walked*  within  her  was  great.  Only  Aurelia  con- 
tinued sleeping  until  seven,  because  she  had  lain 
awake  a  good  part  of  the  night,  thinking  always 
of  the  terrible  turkey.  The  mother  and  daughter 
passed  all  of  that  day  in  great  preparations  for 
the  night.  Don  Gregorio  walked  to  the  street  of 
La  Sabana  with  a  friend  to  see  the  troops  file 
past  as  they  returned  from  the  review.  Only  one 
thing  about  the  ball  interested  him, — the  supper. 
The  judge  numbered  each  of  these  great  festivi- 
ties by  as  many  formidable  attacks  of  indiges- 
tion, but  the  trufifled  wild  turkeys  and  other 
dainties  displayed  last  year  by  the  jovial  Victor 
,  Aubert  of  Marseilles,  whose  epicurean  traditions 
the  fastidious  Italian,  Benedictis,  has  undertaken 
to  perpetuate,  had  more  weight  with  him  than 
the  fear  of  the  consequences  of  his  intemperance. 
Early  in  the  evening  commenced  the  thousand 
tasks  of  dressing.  The  whole  house  was  in  con- 
fusion, the  wardrobes  open,  clothing  scattered 
about  on  the  furniture,  and  doors  opened  and 
closed  without  ceasing. 

"May  God  give  me  patience!"  exclaimed  Dona 
Catalina  as  she  went  from  one  room  to  another 

*La  alcgria  que  le  andaha  por  dentro. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  99 

with  a  pin  cushion  and  a  package  of  hairpins. 
"I'm  going  crazy  right  now.  1  don't  find  any- 
thing I  want  in  all  this  disorder." 

The  lady  multiplied  herself,  gave  orders  to  the 
maid,  advice  to  Aurelia,  fetched  with  her  own 
hands  what  was  wanted,  and  gave  directions  to 
an  accommodating  and  skilful  neighbor,  who  had 
taken  charge  of  combing  the  young  lady's  hair. 
Spread  out  on  the  bed,  vaporous  and  fresh  look- 
ing, was  the  costume,  the  object  of  so  much  anxi- 
ety and  solicitude.  Aurelia  had  selected  the  white 
dress,  against  the  oi)inion  of  her  mamma  who 
would  have  preferred  the  rose  colored.  The  hair 
dressing  was  clrawing  to  a  close,  and  the  neighbor 
seemed  very  satisfied  with  her  work,  laboriously 
executed  by  means  of  the  comb,  jjadding  and 
hairpins.  A  diamond  j)in  of  bad  taste  finished 
the  deforming  of  a  little  head  that  lacked  neither 
refinement  nor  grace.  Then  came  the  turn  of 
the  white  of  pearls  with  which  the  neighbor  and 
the  mamma  rubbed  the  breast  and  arms  of  the 
girl.  She  herself  applied  cream  of  cucumber  to 
her  face,  and  then  a  good  coating  of  rice  powder 
with  a  puff. 

Smeared  in  this  manner,  with  her  eyelids  stiff 
and  her  eyelashes  white,  the  poor  little  girl  felt 
ashamed,  but  all  of  those  present  dtrlared  that 
she  was  charming.  The  maid  and  Rnmona.  who 
had  left  the  kitchen  expressly  !<•  admire  their 
young  mistress,  were  the  most  enthusiastic. 

The  tranrpiil  and  satisfied  mamma  left  the 
daughter  in  the  hands  of  the  neighbor  and  the 


lOO  CUENTOS    TICOS 

maid,  and  went  to  adorn  herself  also,  a  task 
which  did  not  require  so  great  care  as  the  other. 
Don  Gregorio,  ready  some  time  ago,  clad  m  an 
antediluvian  dress  suit  that  Rodriguez  had  made 
for  him  in  the  time  of  General  Guardia,  was 
walking  back  and  forth  in  the  corridor  that  en- 
circled the  patio. 

According  to  tradition,  it  rained  in  pitchersful, 
and  already  the  judge  was  beginning  to  ask  him- 
self anxiously  if  the  coach,  which  he  had  ordered 
the  night  before,  would  come,  when  they  called 
him  in  to  see  the  young  lady.  To  Don  Gregorio 
she  seemed  too  white  and  too  scantily  clad,  but  he 
pretended  that  he  was  delighted.  A  little  while 
afterwards  Dona  Catalina  entered,  modestly  at- 
tired as  was  becoming  in  a  person  of  her  years 
whom  nobody  was  going  to  notice.  Soon  Dona 
Paula,  a  maiden  sister  of  the  judge,  appeared, 
sopping  wet,  for  she  had  not  feared  to  come  down 
in  the  deluge  from  the  top  of  the  Cuesta  de 
Moras,*  to  have  the  satisfaction  of  putting  on  her 
niece  a  necklace  which  she  had  worn  to  balls  when 
she  was  young  and  some  ear-rings  which  had 
been  left  her  by  her  mother.  With  these  addi- 
tions the  poor  girl  finally  looked  like  a  doll 
adorned  by  infantile  hands.  The  coach  arrived  a 
little  late.  Aided  by  Don  Gregorio,  who  covered 
them  with  an  umbrella,  the  ladies  stepped  into 
it,  leaving  a  strong  scent  of  Japanese  corelopsis 
in  their  wake. 

They  had  barely   driven   away   when   another 

•Blackberry    Hill,    an    elevation    in    the    City    of    San    Jose. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  IO3 

coach,  which  came  at  a  gallop,  stopped  in  front 
of  the  house.  Don  Cirilo  Vargas  got  out  of  it 
hurriedly.  On  learning  however  that  those  whom 
he  sought  were  not  :here,  he  could  not  keep  back 
an  oath,  and  ordered  the  coachman  to  go  with  all 
speed  to  the  National  Palace.  As  the  horses  gave 
a  violent  pull  a  tug  broke  and  it  had  to  be  mended 
as  best  it  could.  Without  doubt  it  was  written 
that  Dona  Catalina  was  not  to  have  things  as 
she  had  planned.  A  series  of  ordinary  circum- 
stances, although  impossible  to  foresee,  had  com- 
bined to  upset  the  plans  so  nicely  laid  by  the  astute 
lady.  Thus  Fate  is  accustomed  to  play  with  the 
most  foreseeing  mortals. 

What  had  taken  place  was  as  follows:  After 
the  painful  confidence  which  the  judge  had  made 
to  him  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th,  Don  Cirilo 
Vargas  learned  from  his  daughter  Mercedes 
when  he  reached  home  that  Ricardo  had  started 
for  Cartago  en  route  for  Orosi,  where  he  had 
been  called  by  an  important  business  matter,  in 
which  one  of  his  clients  was  interested,  but  that 
he  ought  certainly  to  return  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  15th.  The  magistrate  then  incjuircd  wliat 
dances  he  had  engaged  for  the  ball,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  of  learning  that  he  had  not  promised 
the  first  one,  because  like  a  good  ladies'  man  he 
did  not  like  to  show  a  preference  for  any  nf 
his  flames  on  such  f)Ccasions.  Sure  of  being  able 
to  please  his  friend.  Don  Cirilo  did  not  think 
more  about  the  .natter  nor  did  he  send  word  to 


104  CUENTOS    TICOS 

the  judge's  house.  And  here  was  where  the 
skein  began  to  get  tangled,  because  Ricardo  Var- 
gas, anxious  to  finish  at  once  the  business  which 
had  taken  him  to  Orosi,  had  to  prolong  his  stay 
more  than  he  had  intended,  and  much  as  he 
urged  his  horse  he  could  not  reach  Cartago  in 
time  for  the  last  train  in  the  afternoon.  What 
could  he  do  in  this  dilemma  ?  In  fact,  there  were 
only  two  courses  open  to  him :  to  continue  on 
horseback  or  to  spend  the  night  in  Cartago.  Both 
were  extremely  disagreeable,  because  if  giving 
up  the  ball  was  hard,  neither  was  the  prospect  of 
two  hours  on  a  sorry  beast  in  the  rain  very  allur- 
ing. The  lawyer  chose  the  latter  course  after  a 
moment  of  indecision.  Used  up  as  he  was  by  his 
journey  from  Orosi  to  Cartago,  he  decided  to 
dine  and  rest  a  while  in  that  city  no  matter  if  he 
arrived  in  San  Jose  a  little  late,  since  he  had  no 
engagements  for  the  first  part  of  the  ball.  When 
he  had  thus  solved  the  difficulty  he  went  in  search 
of  a  friend  to  dine  with  him  at  the  inn;  which 
they  did  at  their  ease. 

At  the  very  moment  that  he  was  mounting  his 
horse  it  occurred  to  him  that  it  would  be  well  to 
let  them  know  at  home  what  had  happened;  his 
friend  therefore  promised  to  send  a  telegram.  It 
was  only  at  the  last  minute,  remembering  the 
promise  he  had  made  to  Don  Gregorio,  that  the 
magistrate,  uneasy  on  account  of  the  absence  of 
his  son,  inquired  as  to  his  whereabouts,  and  Dona 
Inez  showed  him  the  telegram  which  she  had 
received  from  Cartago. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I05 

Don  Cirilo,  upset  by  this  unforeseen  mishap, 
sent  out  hurriedly  for  a  coach  and  went  on  the 
gallop  to  the  house  of  his  friend,  to  tell  him  what 
had  happened  and  to  make  his  excuses. 

When  Aurelia  entered  the  great  courtyard  of 
the  National  Palace,  converted  for  the  occasion 
at  the  cost  of  a  deal  of  money  into  an  immense 
ball  room,  she  felt  very  much  disturbed.  Hun- 
dreds of  electric  lamps  radiated  their  clear  light 
upon  tlie  multitude  of  invited  ones,  making  visible 
with  imi)lacable  discourtesy  the  artifices  and  the 
rouge  of  the  ladies.  Upon  the  canvas,  sprinkled 
with  paper  spangles,  which  covered  the  floor,  the 
black  costumes  of  the  men  who  were  moving 
eagerly  about  with  jjrogrammes  and  pencils  in 
hanrl.  engaging  a  waltz  or  a  mazurka,  were  seen 
in  bold  relief. 

In  the  first  row  of  chairs  was  the  swarm  of 
marriageable  young  ladies  dressed  in  light  colors 
among  which  white  i)rcd()minated.  the  fortunate 
ones  whispering  and  laughing  behind  their  flut- 
tering fans,  the  presumptive  victims  of  the  tur- 
key pale  with  anxiety.  Ah,  how  cruel  are  those 
men  who  go  to  balls  and  do  not  dance!  Tf  they 
knew  the  anguish  of  the  unhnpf)y  maidens  who 
see  themselves  condemned  to  stav  in  their  scats 
before  the  ironical  glances  of  friends  and  tin- 
known  persons,  they  would  not  hesitate  to  rtin 
instantly  to  put  an  enrl  to  such  horril)lc  torment. 
Poor  little  Aurelia  trembled  to  think  that  she  had 
only  four  names  written  on  her  i)rogramme.  At 
that  moment  she  really  felt  very  sorry  that  she 


I06  CUENTOS    TICOS 

had  not  remained  firm  in  her  first  resolution  of 
not  coming  to  the  ball,  at  least  if  she  were  not 
well  protected  against  a  possible  disappointment. 

"Why  did  I  come,  Dios  mio!  Why  did  I 
come!"  she  murmured  in  anguish,  w^hile  a  cold 
perspiration  ran  along  her  back  at  the  idea  that 
she  was  observed,  that  everyone  knew  that  she 
was  going-  to  eat  turkey.     Her  ears  buzzed. 

What  most  augmented  her  confusion  were  the 
spectators  in  the  galleries  of  the  first  floor.  There, 
in  ambush,  were  the  worst  gossipers  of  San  Jose 
and  the  most  dangerous  viperine  tongues.  What 
would  they  not  say !  Each  time  that  a  young  man 
drew  near,  desirous  of  putting  his  name  on  the 
programme  of  one  of  her  neighbors,  it  seemed 
like  an  ofTence  to  her,  poor  disdained  one.  So  ex- 
cited were  her  nerves  that  the  martial  strains  of 
the  national  hymn,  which  started  up  suddenly, 
announcing  the  arrival  of  the  President,  made  her 
jump.  A  few  minutes  afterwards  the  opening 
march  commenced. 

And  Ricardn  A^argas  did  not  appear!  Dofia 
Catalina,  seated  behind  her  daughter,  w^as  in 
despair,  turning  about  and  scrutinizing  the 
corners  of  the  enormous  salon,  while  Don 
Gregorio.  bv  her  orders,  minutely  searched  the 
whole  Palace.  Poor  Aurelia's  color  came  and 
went,  and  she  tried  to  hide  behinrl  her  fnn  when 
any  of  her  former  comi)anions  of  Our  Lady  of 
Zion  passed  in  front,  looking,  with  glances  half 
impertinent  and  half  pitying,  at  her  seated  there 
in  her  chair. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  IO7 

Tlie  orchestra  struck  up  the  music  for  the 
quadrille  of  honor  and  the  sets  were  already  be- 
ginning to  be  formed,  when  Don  Cirilo  arrived 
quite  out  of  breath,  waving  the  telegram  from 
Ricardo.  The  wife  of  the  judge  felt  as  though 
the  building  were  falling  upon  her.  Then  her 
daughter  not  only  would  not  dance  with  the  most 
elegant  gentleman  of  San  Jose,  but  was  to  com- 
mence eating  turkey  at  the  very  first  dance! 
Dios  Santo!    What  was  she  to  do! 

In  that  moment  of  supreme  anguish  there 
presented  itself  to  the  unhai)py  ladies,  like  a  stray 
plank  to  a  shipwrecked  seaman,  salvation  in  the 
form  of  a  young  man  of  pleasant  and  agreeable 
aspect.  It  was  Pedro  Cervantes,  who  with  much 
bash  fulness  came  to  beg  the  honor  of  dancing 
with  the  Senorita  Aurelia.  The  young  girl,  mad 
with  joy,  beggerl  the  permission  of  her  mamma 
with  a  glance,  and  she,  bowing  her  head  to  the 
power  of  destiny,  assented  with  resignation. 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  ball.  Dona  Cata- 
lina?"  one  of  her  lady  acquaintances  asked  her  a 
little  while  afterwards, 

"Frankly,  it  doesn't  seem  (o  inc  much  of  an 
affair,"  answered  the  one  who  was  questioned. 
After  a  pause  she  added,  "'JMiese  Palace  balls- 
nowadays  aren't  what  they  used  to  be.  You 
remember  those  tliat  Don  Tomas  Tiuardia  used 
to  give.  Those  indeed  were  magnificent.  I 
shan't  forget  one  when  they  danced  all  over  the 
Presidential  Palace  with  five  orchestras  playing 
<liffcrent  [)iccc-s:  and  I  still  sccni  to  see  the  general 


I08  CUENTOS    TICOS 

in  his  uniform  all  covered  with  gold  braid,  paying 
court  to  the  ladies  and  serving  them  in  person. 
Believe  me,  there  won't  be  another  president  like 
Don  Tomas." 

''And  where  do  you  place  that  ball?"  exclaimed 
another  lady  joining  in  the  conversation,  "which 
a  Peruvian  minister  gave  in  which  they  had  a 
fountain  of  Florida  water?" 

"That  was  also  very  fine,"  replied  Dona  Cata- 
lina.  "Say  what  you  please,  in  those  times  one 
used  to  see  very  fine  affairs,  and  society  was  not 
so  mixed  up  as  it  is  now.  I'm  almost  ashamed  to 
say  it,  but  now  they  don't  respect  anybody  or 
anything,  and  the  worst  scandals  are  in  the  best 
families.  They  treat  us  old  people  like  trash.  You 
will  see  that  all  this  evening  there  won't  be  any- 
body who'll  offer  to  escort  us  even  for  a  glass  of 
water.  For  that  reason  Fm  better  pleased  to  have 
my  daughter  dance  with  modest  and  honorable 
young  men,  like  Pedro  Cervantes,  so  that  she 
mayn't  be  in  danger  of  hearing  the  things  those 
abandoned  ones,  who  know  -only  how  to  gamble, 
drink  and  seduce  women,  are  in  the  habit  of  say- 
ing to  young  ladies.  I  am  frank,  I  prefer  that 
my  daughter  work  dressing  images  for  the 
•churches,  rather  than  see  her  married  to  some 
vagabond  of  good  family,  one  of  those  who  pass 
their  lives  in  the  club  and  in  the  Grand  Cafe." 

Doha  Catalina  kept  on  quite  a  while  in  this 
key,  smarting  as  she  was  from  the  deep  wound  to 
her  self-esteem  which  the  slight  of  Ricardo  Var- 
gas had  caused  her,  because  she  did  not  in  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  lOQ 

least  believe  that  it  was  all  the  result  of  an  acci- 
dent. 

When  the  dance  ended.  Aurelia  and  Pedro  re- 
turned to  the  place  where  they  had  left  the 
offended  lady.  The'face  of  the  law  student  shone 
with  great  joy,  since  what  was  happening  seemed 
like  a  dream  to  him.  The  night  before  the  ball 
he  did  not  know  that  he  would  have  the  good 
fortune  to  see  his  lady-love  at  all,  even  at  a  dis- 
tance and  dancing  with  another;  for  in  spite  of 
the  freedom  with  which  the  invitations  to  the 
Palace  ball  were  given  out.  he  had  not  yet  been 
able  to  obtain  his,  which  he  finally  got  by  means 
of  a  friendly  fellow-student. 

And  now  he  was  able  not  only  to  see  her,  ad- 
mire her  close  at  hand,  but  also  take  her  in  his 
arms,  dance  with  her,  breath  the  perfume  of  her 
chestnut  hair — a  veritable  dream! 

With  the  aid  of  the  law  student's  friends, 
Aurelia's  empty  dance-card  was  soon  covered 
with  names.  In  the  face  of  such  repeated  and 
opportune  services,  the  mamma  felt  that  her 
prejudice  against  the  young  man  was  beginning 
to  disappear,  to  such  an  extent  that  when  the 
young  lady,  stammering  and  timid,  said  tliat 
Pedro  licggcd  permission  to  take  supi)cr  with  her. 
she  granted  it   without  great  difliculty. 

Don  Gregorio  cr)uU!  not  get  over  tlic  surprise 
which  the  sight  of  his  daughter  dancing  with 
Pedro  Cervantes,  among  the  multitude  of  couples 
that  filled  the  salon,  caused  him.  Tn  spite  of  all 
the  suppositions  that  occurred  to  him,  he  could 


I  10  CUENTOS    TICOS 

not  succeed  in  finding-  a  plausible  explanation  for 
that  strange  hapi)ening,  considering  the  antipathy 
with  which  the  law  student  inspired  Dona  Cata- 
lina.  What  could  it  be?  An  act  of  insurrection 
on  the  part  of  Aurelial  No.  That  was  not  pos- 
sible, because  a  girl  so  submissive,  of  such  a  sweet 
disposition,  was  incapable  of  making  such  a  scan- 
dal. But  then,  what  was  it  that  was  going  on? 
And  the  judge,  very  much  perplexed,  went  to  his 
wife  to  have  her  give  him  the  key  to  the  enigma. 

In  a  few  words  she  informed  him  of  what  had 
happened.  "Here  is  the  telegram  that  that  old 
pastry  cook,  Don  Cirilo,  has  brought  me,"  she 
added  giving  him  the  piece  of  blue  paper.  Don 
Gregorio  seemed  somewhat  cut  up  over  the 
calamity,  but  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  declare 
that  he  was  convinced  of  the  loyalty  and  good 
faith  of  the  Vargas  family. 

"I  don't  want  you  to  talk  to  me  any  more  of 
those  'sinverguenzas,'*  exclaimed  the  lady,  re- 
calling in  that  moment  of  wrath  the  vocabulary 
of  her  father,  the  master  carpenter. 

In  the  meanwhile  Aurelia  was  feeling  per- 
fectly happy,  as  the  result  of  the  very  same  cir- 
cumstances which  were  making  Dofia  Catalina 
froth  at  the  mouth.  A  true  copy  of  her  father, 
she  had  managed  to  he  untainted  by  the  social 
aspirations  of  the  lady,  her  mother.  For  this 
reason  the  absence  of  Ricardo  Vargas  annoyed 
her  only  at  the  moment  when  she  was  in  danger 
of  eating  turkey,    the     trend    of     her     thoughts 

•Literally   ''without   shame."     In    Spanish  it  is  a  very  hard   name 
to   apply   to   a  person. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I  I  I 

changing  from  the  instant  when  Pedro  Cer- 
vantes had  arrived,  Hke  a  rescuing  paladin,  to 
save  her  from  that  nightmare.  Everything  that 
before  seemed  adverse  and  threatening  now 
seemed  favorable  and  smiling.  Even  the  busy- 
bodies  in  the  galleries,  occupied  in  flaying  every 
living  being,  appeared  to  her  as  good  and  chari- 
table ladies. 

After  the  first  dance,  she  had  two  more  witli 
Pedro,  who  was  also  very  bashful,  and  said  noth- 
ing to  her.  But  after  su])per,  when  the  two  were 
seated  together  in  the  Hall  of  Congress,  under  the 
portrait  of  Don  Jose  Rafael  de  Gallegos,  and  the 
young  man  was  warmed  by  the  champagne  and 
the  feminine  aromas  which  lli'ated  in  the  atmos- 
phere, he  made  l)f)ld  to  reveal  to  her  what  she  al- 
ready knew  very  well,  that  he  loved  her.  The  girl 
grew  rosy  red  in  sjiite  of  the  rice  jiowdcr  and  the 
white  of  pearls;  and  after  making  an  honorable 
resistance  to  the  sweet  importunity  of  the  enam- 
oured stiulent.  she  miuMnured  her  assent  in  a  very 
low  tone,  lowering  her  eyes  and  atiparentlv  I)eing 
very  tranquil,  but  in  her  breast  her  little  heart 
was  fluttering  like  a  wild  bin!  that  bns  just  been 
caged. 

A  year  anrl  a  lialf  afterwards  Don  rircgnrio 
T.opcz  aufl  Dona  Catalina  sent  out  invitations  to 
the  coming  marriage  of  their  fjaugbtcr  .Aurelia 
to  the  lawvcr  Don  Pedn)  Cervantes. 


UN   HEROE. 
(a   hero.) 

WE  all  knew,  by  the  siig-gestive  nickname 
of  Cusiisa,*  a  poor  shoemaker,  whose 
small  blue  eyes  were  hidden  under  thick 
gray  eyebrows,  which,  when  he  had  shaved 
himself,  produced  the  comical  impression  that 
his  mustaches  had  ascended  to  his  forehead;  but, 
as  he  was  not  accustomed  to  coming  in  contact 
often  with  the  barber,  he  was  usually  seen  with 
his  face  covered  with  stiff  hair  that  gave  him  an 
aspect  of  ferocity,  tempered  by  the  intense 
sweetness  of.  his  glance.  The  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  shoemaker  was  his  merriness, 
a  wild,  irresistibly  catching  merriness.  If  one,  in 
passing  some  tavern  heard  shouts,  laughter, 
music,  and  the  sound  of  dancing,  he  did  not  need 
to  inquire  the  cause.  Only  Cususa  was  capable 
of  converting  the  inveterate  sadness  nf  the 
guaro  drinkers  into  joy.  He  detested  quarrels 
and  was  always  ready  to  interfere  in  order  to 
stop  them,  silencing  by  the  force  of  good-humor 
the  endless  disputes  between  the  drunkards.  But 

*Brandy. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  II 3 

if  the  dissensions  continued  and  grew  into  a 
fight,  the  festive  shoemaker  changed  his  argu- 
ments and  with  a  couple  of  well-directed  blows 
re-estalilislied  order,  for  he  was  a  powerful  man. 
and  brave  to  rashness. 

They  used  to  tell,  among  many  other  things, 
of  an  affair  with  a  much  feared  desperado 
who  had  just  been  released  from  the  prison 
of  San  Lucas.  Cususa  was  dancing  in  a 
wine-shop  to  the  music  of  a  guitar,  when  the 
rascal,  irritated  doubtless  by  the  merry  uproar 
which  the  good  fellow  was  making,  pulled  out 
a  dagger  and  cut  the  strings  of  the  instrument. 
There  was  a  spark  in  the  eyes  of  the  shocinaker. 
With  one  leap  he  was  at  the  side  of  the  aggres- 
sor, and  gripi)ing  him  by  the  wrist  with  terrible 
force,  he  bent  it  back  until  he  made  him  let  go  of 
the  dagger.  Then,  looking  him  straight  in  the 
eyes  with  an  e.\'j)ression  of'  great  disdain,  he  spit 
in  his  face,  crying  rei)eatedly :  "Assassin !  Cow- 
ard!" The  desperado  abandoned  the  field,  with 
many  threats,  but  he  was  never  seen  again  in  the 
places  which  Cususa  frefpiented. 

The  shoemaker's  drunkenness  was  not  con- 
tinuous, as  one  might  supi)ose.  Two  or  three 
weeks  used  to  pass  without  his  taking  a  single 
glass,  while  he  worked  industriously  in  his  shop, 
for  he  had  plenty  of  customers  anrl  aside  from  his 
fondness  for  the  bottle  was  a  mode!  workman. 
But  once  the  thirst  for  brandy  and  the  longing 
for  dancing  bad  come  upon  him,  goofl-byc  to 
awls  anrl  snlcs.  for  there  was  no  one  who  could 
keep  him  in  the  house. 


114 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


The  difficulty  was  even  greater  when  the  civic 
festivals  came,  with  their  three  days  of  bull 
fights  and  masquerading.  Scarcely  did  he  hear 
the  first  fire-cracker,  when  he  would  station  him- 
self in  the  street  and  would  not  return  until  he 
came  home  on  a  stretcher  after  the  inevitable 
upset  from  the  horns  of  some  bull  from  Guana- 
caste.    Other  occasions   for    imbibing  were    the 


A    MILITARY    REVIEW 


military  ceremonies.  Processions,  reviews,  funer- 
als, every  act  in  which  troops  preceded  by  a 
band  figured  produced  an  irresistible  itching  for 
celebrating.  He  used  to  pass  all  Holy  Week 
doing  penance  in  the  Vineyards  of  the  Lord. 

The  libations  commenced  with  Palm  Sunday, 
very  early  in  the  morning,  so  that  he  could  be 
present  at  the  complicated  ceremonies  of  the  go- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  II 7 

ing  out  of  the  flag.  Then  he  used  to  follow  the 
procession  at  the  side  of  the  music,  marking 
time,  indifferent  to  everything  but  the  drums, 
cornets  and  words  of  command.  In  his  passion 
f(jr  military  pomp  he  noticed  nothing  else, 
neither  the  image  ridiculously  bedecked,  riding 
<  )n  a  mule,  nor  the  improvised  avenues  of 
bamboos  which  adorned  the  streets  with  their 
green  feather-like  plumes,  nor  even  the  groups 
of  handsome  country  girls  in  their  Sunday 
attire  carrying  blessed  palm  branches  in  their 
hands. 

When  the  procession  was  over  and  the  Lord 
of  Triumph,  seated  in  an  arm-chair  and  wear- 
ing a  violet  colored  hat,  was  reposing  in  an  im- 
provised garden  of  "uruca"  branches,  Cususa 
used  to  return  behind  the  soldiers,  leaping  to  the 
tune  of  a  lively  two-step,  until  he  left  them  at  the 
barracks.  The  carousal  continued  afterwards  in 
the  wine-shoj),  in  company  with  numerous  para- 
sites who  took  advantage  of  his  generous  nature, 
with  sonorous  shouts  of  "Viva  Costa  Rica!"  and 
much  talk  about  the  campaign  against  tlie  fili- 
busters. While  his  mother  lived,  a  little  old 
woman,  blind  from  cataracts,  whom  he  cared  for 
with  great  solicituflc,  the  intemperance  of  the 
shoemaker  was  confined  within  certain  limits;  l)ut 
when  he  found  himself  alone  in  the  world,  for 
relations  he  had  none,  the  days  of  rest  grew  more 
frequent. 

Often  he  was  to  be  seen  sprawled  out  in  the 
taverns,  or  sleeping  in  the  street  in  the  beneficent 


Il8  CUENTOS    TICOS 

shade  of  some  tree.  Soon  the  poor  man  became 
the  object  of  ridicule  and  gibes  from  unkind  per- 
sons, and  especially  from  the  boys  who  at  the 
time  were  attending  school. 

With  the  thoughtless  cruelty  of  childhood,  we 
used  to  take  delight  in  tormenting  poor  Cususa, 
when  on  account  of  too  much  liquor  he  was  un- 
able to  defend  himself  as  he  used  to  do  in  the  good 
times  when  he  dealt  those  famous  blows  which 
inspired  respect  and  consideration. 

I  remember  how,  on  coming  out  of  the  class 
room  one  afternoon,  a  few  of  us  little  rascals  came 
upon  the  shoemaker  lying,  helpless,  close  to  an 
adobe  wall.  To  see  him  and  to  feel  ourselves 
thrill  with  joy  was  all  one.  Now  we  had  before 
us  the  prospect  of  a  good  bit  of  diversion.  After 
a  consultation,  in  which  we  discussed  the  means 
of  torment  which  were  to  be  adopted  for  that  day, 
the  idea  of  painting  him  predominated.  A  box 
of  blacking  appeared,  from  nobody  knew  where, 
and  the  chief  of  the  party  took  charge  of  the 
work.  Soon  Cususa  was  transformed  into  a  guy, 
and  at  each  new  stroke  of  the  artist's  fancy  we 
almost  burst  ourselves  with  laughing. 

A  vigorous  and  manly  voice  behind  us  made 
us  turn  with  frightened  faces,  to  find  ourselves 
face  to  face  with  Captain  Ramirez,  an  elderly 
retired  officer,  a  veteran  of  the  National  War.* 
With  gentle  severity  he  reprimanded  us  for  what 
we  had  just  done,  and  to  exhort  us  not  to  torment 

*The  war  against  the  filibuster  Walker.  Costa  Rica  took  the 
most  prominent  part  in  this  war,  and  it  is  there  regarded  as  a  kind 
of  Heroic  Age.     Walker  was  defeated  by  the  Costa  Ricans. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  121 

again  the  unfortunate  man    he  told  us  the  his- 
tory, which  I  am  going  to  transcrihe  faithfully. 


\Mien  Don  Juanito  Mora  declared  war  against 
the  filibuster  Walker,  who  had  taken  possession 
of  Nicaragua,  Joacjuin  Garcia,  or  Cususa  as  they 
call  him  now,  was  only  eighteen  years  old,  and, 
being  the  only  son  of  a  widowed  mother,  was  ex- 
empt from  going  to  the  war.  Nevertheless  the 
boy  was  set  on  going  with  his  companions,  and 
as  he  could  not  succeed  in  getting  into  the  ranks, 
he  evaded  the  vigilance  of  his  mother  one  night, 
and  walking  without  rest  went  to  join  the  army 
on  the  march  for  the  Northern  frontier.  I  found 
him  one  morning,  half  dead  from  hunger  and 
fatigue,  and  recognizing  him,  for  we  were 
neighbors,  I  succeeded  in  getting  him  into  the 
column  of  the  vanguard  of  which  I  formed  a 
part. 

A  few  days  afterward  we  surjjrised  the  enemy 
in  Santa  Rosa,  where  our  flag  received  its  baptism 
of  glory.  In  vain  the  Yankees  tried  to  withstand 
the  thrust  of  our  bayonets;  they  could  not  resist 
us,  and  on  that  day  we  had  the  unspeakable  satis- 
faction of  seeing  the  bully,  Schlessinger,  who 
commanded  them,  fleeing  like  a  poltroon.  The 
victory,  it  is  tnir,  cost  us  dear.  W'c  lost  tluMC 
manv  brave  men.  and  the  wounded  covered  the 
ground.  Among  those  most  dangerously 
wounflcfl  was  fouufl  poor  Joaquin,  with  his  chest 
pierccfl  by  a  rifle  ball. 


122  CL'ENTOS    TICOS 

At  this  point  the  Captain  interrupted  his  nar- 
rative, and,  opening  the  shoemaker's  shirt,  he 
showed  us  a  deep  scar  in  the  region  of  the  right 
lung.     After  a  pause  he  proceeded: 

This  had  taken  place  on  the  30th  day  of  March, 
1856.  On  the  nth  of  April  following  I  also  fell 
wounded,  in  the  streets  of  Rivas.  Here  in  his 
turn  Walker  surprised  us,  but  did  not  succeed  in 
conquering  us.  He  had  rather  to  retire,  abandon- 
ing his  wounded.  I  returned  to  Liberia  in  a  ter- 
rible condition.  There  I  found  Joaquin  also  in 
the  military  hospital.  By  a  rare  chance  we  both 
escaped  the  epiderhic  of  cholera,  which  broke  out 
in  the  army,  so  weakened  by  the  hot  climate  of 
Nicaragua  and  the  terrible  bloodshed  of  the  battle 
of  Rivas.  We  convalesced  together  in  Puntare- 
nas,  where  I  had  some  relatives  who  took  care  of 
us  as  w^ell  as  one  could  wish.  Some  months  after- 
ward, when  there  w-as  talk  of  a  new  invasion  of 
Nicaragua,  we  both  requested  to  be  taken  back 
into  the  army  in  the  field.  The  only  thing  we  could 
gain  was  permission  to  be  enrolled  in  the  garri- 
son of  Puntarenas.  On  the  second  of  November, 
our  army  which  had  been  mobilized  in  Liberia, 
again  set  out  on  the  march  for  the  frontier  under 
the  command  of  General  Cafias.  Joaquin  and  I 
were  inconsolable,  on  account  of  our  inability  to 
go  with  it,  when  an  unhoped  for  opportunity  of 
returning  to  the  campaign  presented  itself  to  us. 
The  brigantine  "Eleventh  of  April,"  so  named  in 
memory  of  the  heroic  fight  of  Rivas,  was  about 
to  sail  from  the  port,  armed  for  war,  to  co-operate 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 23 

in  the  hostilities,  and  to  put  an  end  to  the  depreda- 
tions of  the  fihbiister  bark  Granada.  At  the  last 
hour  there  were  some  losses  in  the  crew  so  that 
we  succeeded  in  enlisting  on  her.  We  set  sail 
on  the  eleventh  of  November,  carrying  an  abun- 
dance of  provisions,  arms,  ammunition  and 
money  for  the  army.  The  brigantine  had  for  de- 
fence four  brass  cannon.  Her  caiJtain  was  Don 
Antonio  Vallerriestra,  a  young  officer  of  the 
Peruvian  na^  y,  who  had  placed  his  sword  at  the 
service  of  our  cause.  From  the  time  we  set  sail 
the  sea  was  very  tempestuous  and  the  winds  were 
contrary,  so  much  so  that  we  spent  eleven  days 
in  navigating  the  short  distance  between  Puntare- 
nas  and  San  Juan  del  Sur.  Almost  all  of  us  were 
afloat  for  the  first  time,  and  wc  suffered  greatly 
from  seasickness;  but  in  spite  of  this,  and  the 
battering  of  the  storms  which  shook  the  vessel  to 
her  keel,  we  did  not  allow  ourselves  to  be  discour- 
aged a  single  instant,  for  we  had  faith  in  our 
destiny  and  truly  believed  ourselves  invincible. 
Scarcely  did  that  stf)rmy  sea  give  us  a  short  res- 
pite, when  good-humor  again  .•ip])c'arc'(l  ;iboard 
the  brigantine,  anrl  officers  ;ind  snldicrs  were 
rivals  in  warlike  enthusiasm. 

Between  raiti  sf|nalls  we  managed  to  amuse 
ourselves,  telbng  stf)ries,  playing  cards,  or  chaf- 
fing each  other.  Some  also  used  to  sing  the  sad 
and  monotonous  songs  of  our  comitry,  which  gave 
us  a  homesick  longing  for  its  green  coffee  planta- 
tions and  swift  running  rivers.  Stirred  by  the 
slowness  of  the  rh\tbm  we  would  silently  call  uj> 


124  CUENTOS    TICOS 

visions  of  the  distant  fatherland;  but  each  time 
that  this  happened  a  shrill  and  familiar  cry 
would  be  heard,  the  cry  of  our  mountains  which 
no  Costa  Rican  can  hear  without  emotion,  and 
Joaquin  would  break  out  into  a  rollicking  clog- 
dance,  accompanied  by  ridiculous  and  character- 
istic exclamations  which  instantly  dispelled  the 
melancholy  of  our  thoughts. 

We  all  adored  him  for  his  goodness  of  charac- 
ter and  his  constant  jovialness.  The  gallantry  of 
his  conduct  at  Santa  Rosa  and  the  almost  mortal 
wound  he  had  received  there,  were  equally  potent 
means  of  gaining  the  sympathy  and  affection  of 
all.  At  other  times,  seated  in  a  circle  on  deck, 
we  talked  of  the  war,  and  my  comrades  were 
never  weary  of  making  me  repeat  the  story  of  the 
battles  of  Santa  Rosa  and  Rivas,  and  particularly 
the  details  of  the  glorious  death  of  Juan  Santa 
Maria,  the  drummer  boy  of  Alajuela,  who  had 
formerly  been  a  sacristan.*  With  the  greatest  at- 
tention they  listened  to  my  w^ords,  full  of  ad- 
miration for  the  lad  marching  serenely  to  certain 
death.  I  told  them  how  he  had  returned  the 
first  time  safe  and  sound  to  our  ranks,  when  in  a 
storm  of  bullets  he  had  set  fire  to  the  ranch 
house  which  served  the  enemy  as  a  fort;  the  sub- 
lime audacity  of  the  hero  trying  again  the  hazard- 
ous undertaking,  as  the  enemy  had  succeeded  in 
putting  out  the  fire;  how  he  returned  a  second 
time  unscathed  to  the  walls   of   the    house    and 

*He  was  the  hero  of  the  battle  of  Santa  Rosa,  setting;  fire,  at  the 
ccst  of  his  own  life,  to  the  ranch  house  in  which  Walker's  tnen 
had  taken  their  stand.  There  is  a  bronze  statue  of  him  in  the 
town    of    Alajuela. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 25 

again  sprinkled  them  with  petroleum  and  ap- 
plied the  torch  which  he  carried  in  his  right 
hand;  the  despairing  cry  which  broke  from  our 
lips  on  seeing  his  avenging  arm  fall  helpless, 
broken  by  the  well-aimed  bullet  of  a  Yankee;  then 
the  indescribable  enthusiasm,  the  great  pride, 
which  the  sight  aroused  in  us  of  the  drummer  boy 
picking  up  the  torch  again,  brandishing  it  with 
his  unhurt  arm.  until  the  destroying  flames  arose 
again;  finally  the  hero's  fall  riddled  with  bullets 
at  the  foot  of  the  fire  kindled  by  his  valiant  hand. 
"That  was  a  man!  Viva  Costa  Rica!"  Joaquin 
invariably  exclaimed,  as  the  narrative  was  fin- 
ished; and  all.  stirred  by  the  sincerity  of  his 
enthusiasm  would  join  in  the  shout.  "Viva  Costa 
Rica!"  we  would  answer,  and  the  noise  of  our 
voices  was  lost  in  the  roaring  of  the  waves. 

The  "Eleventh  of  April,"  buffeted  by  the 
storms,  began  to  leak  considerably  and  wc  had  to 
take  to  the  pum])S.  In  this  condition  we  arrived 
in  front  of  the  bay  of  San  Juan  del  Sur.  on  the 
afternoon  of  November  22nd.  Ca])tain  Valler- 
riestra  inspected  the  coast  carefully  with  a  tele- 
scope, then  we  saw  him  conferring  with  the 
military  commanders.  W'lun  the  council  was 
over  he  ordered  the  l)ow  turned  toward  the  shore. 

Not  much  time  passed  before  wc  siglitcd  a 
sail,  which  came  out  fnmi  the  port  and  stcercfl  to- 
ward us.  The  captain,  who  was  continuing  his 
inspection,  suddenly  said  a  few  words  to  Major 
Maheigt  at  liis  side,  and  immediately  gave  the 
order  to  clear  for  action.     A  gust  of  enthusiasm 


126  CUENTOS    TICOS 

swept  over  the  vessel.  At  last  we  were  going  to 
meet  the  enemy.  At  about  six  o'clock  we  hoisted 
cur  flag.  The  sight  of  the  fluttering  tricolored 
stripes  inflamed  our  hearts;  we  saluted  it  with 
delirious  enthusiasm. 

The  enemy's  vessel  was  now  quite  close  and  on 
her  quarter  deck  we  could  see  the  blue  and  white 
ensign  of  the  old  Central  American  Federation, 
capped  by  the  red  star  of  the  usurper.  A  few 
minutes  afterward  the  air  was  rent  by  a  thunder- 
ous report,  and  we  heard  the  enemy's  first  broad- 
side pass  over  our  heads.  Then  the  combat  started 
with  unspeakable  fury,  the  Yankees  determined 
to  avenge  the  dru1)1)ing  our  arms  had  given  them 
at  Santa  Rosa  and  Rivas.  Our  men,  most  of 
whom  were  smelling  powder  for  the  first  time, 
fought  with  unsurpassed  courage,  even  though 
the  ordinary  hazards  of  a  sea  fight  were  increased 
for  us  by  the  inexperience  of  our  gunners  and  the 
great  danger  we  were  in  from  the  leaks  of  the 
"Eleventh  of  April,"  through  which  water 
was  pouring  in  torrents;  and  as  if  this  were  not 
enough,  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  bow  one  hour  after 
the  beginning  of  the  fight.  But  what  could  water, 
fire  and  the  enemy's  bullets  do  against  the  fever 
of  patriotism  which  had  turned  us  mad?  Daunt- 
lessly  the  twenty-four  year  old  captain  directed 
the  manoeuvres  with  the  calmness  of  a  sea- wolf 
grown  gray  in  warfare.  With  quiet  daring  he 
went  to  the  places  of  greatest  danger,  directing, 
amid  the  flying  missiles,  the  putting  out  of  the  fire, 
t'.ie  management  of  the  pumps  and  the  aiming  of 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 27 

cannons.  He  seemed  to  be  everywhere  at  once, 
aided  by  Major  Maheigt.  who  was  valor  per- 
sonified; and  all,  animated  by  such  sublime 
examples,  seeing  that  even  the  chaplain  had  taken 
a  gun  in  hand,  fought  like  wild  beasts. 

Night  came  on  and  still  the  terrible  fight  con- 
tinued, lighted  up  by  the  flames  that  were  de- 
vouring our  vessel.  Joaquin,  whose  smiling 
intrepidity  filled  us  with  admiration,  said  to  me 
with  a  laugh  between  two  shots : 

'"My,  lieutenant,  what  a  gcM^d  sup])cr  is  being 
prepared  for  the  sharks !  They  won't  have  teeth 
enough  to  eat  so  much  fresh  meat,  still  as  there 
will  be  plenty  of  salt  to  season  it  they  won't  be 
much  bothered." 

This  allusion  to  the  almost  inevitable  fate  that 
was  awaiting  us,  made  in  those  moments  of  mor- 
tal peril  and  with  such  light-heartedness,  paints 
admirably  the  character  of  the  boy,  a  mixture  of 
bravery  and  jovialness. 

In  spite  of  the  very  bad  conditions  under  which 
we  fought,  our  fire  was  causing  many  losses 
among  the  enemy.  His  fire  was  growing  grndn- 
ally  weaker  and  victory  was  beginning  to  shine  in 
our  eyes  with  magic  splendor,  when  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night  a  great  light  illuminated  every- 
thing around,  accompanied  by  a  tremendous  ex- 
plosion. Without  knowing  what  was  happening 
to  me.  T  was  hurlcfl  through  the  air  for  a  long  dis- 
tance until  I  fell  into  the  sen.  The  coolness  of  the 
water  cleared  my  head.  I  understood  that  the 
"Eleventh  of  April"  had  blown  up.  After  a  little, 


128  CUENTOS    TICOS 

I  managed  to  lay  hold  of  a  piece  of  wood  which 
came  floating  by,  for  a  sharp  pain  in  one  leg  made 
it  hard  for  me  to  swim.  From  the  riven  hull  of 
our  beloved  brigantine  flames  still  burst  forth, 
casting  a  red  light  upon  the  tossing  waves,  which 
allowed  one  to  see  intermittently  the  gloomy  scene 
of  the  shipwreck.  Floating  about  at  random  a 
multitude  of  boards,  boxes  and  casks  could  be 
seen,  which  the  survivors  of  the  catastrophe  seized 
hold  of  with  desperation. 

The  pain  in  my  leg,  caused  by  a  wound  which 
I  receix'ed  at  the  very  moment  of  the  explosion, 
became  unbearable.  I  felt  that  I  was  losing  con- 
sciousness and  all  would  soon  be  over  with  me. 
From  the  vessel  in  her  death  agony,  a  last  flame 
burst  forth,  and  the  "Eleventh  of  April"  plunged 
to  the  bottom  with  an  awe-inspiring  roar.  There 
was  a  death-like  silence,  and  darkness  reigned 
upon  the  sea.  Then,  as  though  it  were  the  death- 
rattle  of  the  expiring  vessel,  a  wild  shout  rang 
out  in  the  darkness  :  "Viva  Costa  Rica !  Death 
to  Walker !"  It  was  the  voice  of  Joaquin,  spitting 
a  last  insult  in  the  face  of  the  usurper.  I  fainted 
and  let  go  of  the  piece  of  wood  which  sustained 
me. 

When  I  recovered  consciousness  I  found  myself 
aboard  the  Granada.  A  comrade  who  was  beside 
me,  also  wounded,  told  me  that  Joaquin  had  saved 
my  life,  holding  me  up  in  the  water  until  one  of 
the  enemy's  boats  picked  me  up.  He  told  me  that 
the  heroic  boy,  after  saving  two  more  shipwrecked 
men,  had  refused  to  surrender,  preferring  to  run 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I3I 

the  risk  of  almost  certain  death  to  the  humihation 
of  confessing  himself  a  prisoner  of  the  Yankees. 
I  learned  also  that  Captain  Vallerriestra,  covered 
with  dreadful  burns,  was  aboard  the  Granada, 
and  that  his  youth  and  his  heroic  conduct  had 
aroused  the  admiration  of  the  enemy's  officers. 
With  us  also  were  the  brave  Maheigt  and  the 
priest  Godoy,  so  badly  wounded  that  he  died  a 
few  hours  afterwards. 

Of  the  hundred  and  ten  men  who  formed  the 
crew  of  the  brigantine,  forty  were  saved,  besides 
Joaquin,  who  managed  to  get  to  the  shore  W'ith 
the  aid  of  a  barrel.  He  was  found  almost  dead 
on  the  beach  by  some  good  people,  who  under- 
took to  bring  him  back  to  life  wMth  vigorous  rub- 
bings and  doses  of  brandy  which  they  had  to 
make  him  take  almost  by  force,  for  up  to  that  time 
he  had  been  temperate  in  the  extreme.  After 
that  however  he  was  less  so,  and  that  and  nothing 
else  was  the  beginning  of  his  intcm|)crance. 


The  veteran  became  silent,  and  his  eyes,  turned 
on  Cususa,  who  continued  to  sleep  profoundly, 
were  full  of  kindness  and  compassif)n.  Straight- 
way he  asked  ff)r  water  in  a  neighboring  house, 
and  taking  out  his  handkerchief,  washed  the 
drunkard's  face  carefully.  When  it  was  some- 
what cleaner,  he  shook  him  vigorously,  shouting 
in  his  ear:  "Jf)af|uin!  Joarpiin  !"  On  hearing  the 
voice  of  his  rild-timc  superior  the  flrunkard  gave 
a  start  an<l  hca\ily  opening  his  eyes  innrnunc-d. 


13-2  CUENTOS    TICOS 

with  thickened  tongue:  "Present,  my  captain." 
With  a  great  effort  the  veteran  made  him  get  up, 
and  giving  him  his  arm  led  him,  staggering, 
away. 

Childish  minds  are  very  impressionable  and  the 
tale  of  the  captain  sank  deep  into  ours.  From 
that  day  Cususa  took  on  colossal  porportions  for 
us,  and  we  began  to  look  on  him  as  almost  a  leg- 
endary being,  capable  of  the  greatest  deeds  of 
heroism.  We  never  again  tormented  him,  we 
rather  undertook  to  defend  him  with  great  zeal 
whenever  any  other  little  rascals  tried  to  molest 
him. 

A  few  months  after  the  veteran's  intervention 
in  favor  of  the  shoemaker,  we  were  coming  out 
of  school  one  afternoon,  when  we  met  a  modest 
funeral.  Four  men  were  carrying  the  cheap  coffin 
and  behind  them  marched  Captain  Ramirez,  with 
red  eyes.  Our  noisy  shouts  made  him  turn  his 
head  and  look  at  us  a  moment.  He  recognized 
us,  and  doubtless  remembering  the  tale  he  had 
told  us.  exclaimed  in  a  sorrowful  voice:  "It  is 
he. — Joaquin !"  We  looked  at  each  other,  and 
with  tacit  agreement  born  spontaneously  of  one 
of  those  generous  impulses  so  common  to  y(5uth, 
we  added  ourselves  to  the  cortege  of  the  hero. 


UN   SANTO  MILAGROSO. 
(a  miraculous  saixt.) 

IN  a  short  time  the  fame  of  a  certain  miraculous 
image  of  San  Jeronimo,  of  which  extra- 
ordinary things,  one  might  say  miracles,  were 
related,  had  spread  through  a  part  of  the  province 
of  Alajuela.  The  residents  of  San  Pedro  de  la 
Calabaza  and  of  La  Sabanilla  showed  especial  en- 
thusiasm, and  the  reputation  of  the  saint  already 
extended  to  the  very  capital  of  the  province, 
where,  to  tell  the  truth,  it  met  with  considerable 
skepticism;  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the 
peoi)le  of  Alajuela  are  hardened  unbelievers. 

Whether  the  fellow  citizens  of  Juan  Santa 
Maria  were  right  or  nr)t  in  showing  their  unbe- 
lief in  respect  to  San  Jeronimo,  it  is  certain  that 
now  there  was  not  a  rosary,  a  candle  burned  in 
honor  of  a  saint,  nor  any  other  festival  at  which 
one  would  not  find  the  sainted  image  present. 
Everybody  disputed  for  the  notable  honor  of  en- 
tertaining it,  even  though  it  were  not  more  than 
a  few  hours.  Its  frequent  journeys  were  Iritun- 
phal,  in  the  midst  of  a  brilliant   following,  the 


13.1 


134  CUENTOS    TICOS 

splendor  of  which  the  music,  sky-rockets  and  fire- 
crackers did  not  diminish.  At  first  sight  the  image 
did  not  present  any  marked  pecuHarity.  It  was  a 
crude  sculpture  of  wood,  painted  and  varnished, 
of  little  more  than  a  metre  in  height.  The  saint, 
dressed  in  an  ordinary  habit,  trimmed  with  silver 
braid,  was  far  from  having  the  appearance  of  an 
ascetic;  he  rather  resembled  one  of  those  cor- 
pulent, incontinent  monks  whom  the  Catalonian 
lithographs  have  made  familiar.  But  this  detail, 
which  only  some  critical  and  evil-disposed  per- 
sons of  the  city  of  Alajuela  had  noticed,  did  not 
affect  in  the  least  the  devotion  of  his  adorers,  who 
never  tired  of  making  festivals  in  his  honor,  nor 
of  kissing  his  feet. 

The  peregrinations  of  San  Jeronimo  finally  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  authorities  and  even 
caused  them  alarm;  but  not  on  account  of  the 
manifestations  of  gross  fanaticism  which  the 
image  called  forth  from  the  country  people,  as 
in  that  matter  there  is  always  much  tolerance. 
What  worried  the  provincial  authorities  was 
something  more  serious;  it  was  the  increasing 
number  of  disorders  and  quarrels  which  arose  on 
the  passing  of  the  saint,  who  left  behind  him  a 
trail  of  blood.  Any  festival  where  he  was  present 
was  sure  to  have  a  bad  ending;  with  machete 
strokes  and  dagger  thrusts  almost  always.  In  the 
criminal  court  several  trials  for  homicide  were 
in  progress;  the  wounded  were  numerous,  the 
bruised  ones  legion.  The  governor  then  resolved 
to   take    rigorous   measures,   ordering   the   jefes 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 35 

politicos*  and  the  other  subordinate  officials  to 
arrest  San  Jeronimo  by  all  means  and  without 
loss  of  time;  but  their  zeal  was  in  vain.  The  saint 
disappeared  like  smoke  after  each  one  of  his  jour- 
neys, to  reappear  after  some  days,  now  in  one 
place,  now  in  another,  when  he  was  least  expected. 
The  disorders,  the  drunkenness  and  the  machete 
strokes  continued.  Furious  on  account  of  all  this, 
the  governor  did  not  cease  from  telegraphing  the 
subordinate  authorities  to  stimulate  their  zeal, 
and  they  now  had  no  rest  from  their  search  for 
San  Jeronimo. 

Such  was  the  situation  when  Pedro  Villalta, 
a  corporal  of  the  customs  guard,  just  as  he  was 
preparing  to  set  out  on  a  campaign  with  his  fel- 
low guards  one  afternoon,  said  to  the  governor: 

"Don't  you  worry,  Senor;  I  intend  to  bring 
you  that  rascally  little  saint." 

On  hearing  this,  the  harassed  official  saw  the 
heavens  opening  and  was  on  the  point  of  em- 
bracing Pedro  Villalta;  for  the  corporal  was  an 
old  dog  and  most  sagacious.  That  very  night 
the  governor  announced,  in  the  club  which  he  fre- 
quented, that  the  capture  of  the  saint  was  about 
to  take  place,  a  statement  that  was  received  with 
much  incredulity,  provoking  many  jokes  and 
much  chaff.  "This  San  Jeronimo  doesn't  exist," 
declared  Doctor  Pradera.  "Tt  is  a  yarn  of  the 
San  Pedro  people  to  put  ynu  on  the  run." 

The  governor,  somewhat  nettled,  replied :  "You 
may  laugh  and  say  what  you  j)lcasc,  but  I  invite 

•An    officer    somewhat    similar    to   a   mayor   of   a    town. 


136  CUENTOS    TICOS 

you  all  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  saint  in  the  police 
barracks." 

"Then  I'll  bet  you  a  supper  that  you  won't," 
exclaimed  the  commandant  of  the  plaza,  merrily. 

"Accepted,"  said  the  governor. 


While  the  chief  authority  of  the  province  was 
giving-  nnniistakaiy.e  proofs  of  his  confidence  in 
the  ability  of  Pedro  Villalta,  that  veteran  and  his 
comrades  were  riding  silently  along  the  high  road 
to  Puntarenas.  They  had  ostentatiously  taken 
that  direction  on  setting  out  from  Alajuela  at 
night-fall,  but  when  they  had  gone  about  half 
the  distance  to  the  little  village  of  San  Jose*  the 
corporal  reined  in  his  horse  and  gave  the  order  to 
turn  back.  The  guards  accustomed  to  these  ma- 
noeuvres, obeyed  without  grumbling.  In  return- 
ing they  kept  away  from  the  city,  following 
deserted  lanes  and  byways,  and  making  a  circuit, 
finally  arrived  at  the  river  of  La  Maravilla.  Once 
on  the  other  side  of  the  bridge,  the  corporal  said : 
"Now  to  La  Sabanilla!"  After  riding  some  dis- 
tance, Juan  Rodriguez,  a  frank  and  good-natured 
Hercules,  asked  a  question :  "Corporal,  if  we  are 
going  to  La  Sabanilla,  why  have  we  made  this 
big  circuit?" 

Some  laughter  was  heard,  but  Villalta,  who 
liked  Juan  Rodriguez  for  his  staunchness  and 
courage,  kindly  explained  to  him  that  their  de- 
tour was  made  so  that    the    contraband     liquor- 

*A  small  village  bearing  the  same  name  as  the  Capital  of  Costa 
Rica,   a   few   miles   west  of  Alajuela. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RITA  1 39 

makers  might  not  be  advised  of  the  arrival  of  the 
guard.  Juan,  who  was  a  new  recruit,  felt  himself 
filled  with  admiration  at  the  astuteness  of  his 
chief. 

"Those  people  have  spies  and  friends  every- 
where," continued  Villalta.  "But  with  me  they 
get  fooled,  for  I  know  all  their  tricks.  This  time 
I  expect  to  bring  in  the  still  of  the  Arias."  On 
hearing  this  name  the  guards  pricked  up  their 
ears. 

The  Arias  were  no  less  than  the  most  feared 
contrabandists  of  the  whole  country.  Of  the 
three  brothers,  Jose,  Ramon  and  Antonio,  one 
could  not  tell  which  was  the  worst.  They  had  all 
made  themselves  famous  by  committing  unheard 
of  crimes  and  by  giving  proofs  of  their  reckless 
courage  in  their  encounters  with  the  customs 
guard  and  in  the  numberless  affrays  which  they 
stirred  up  wherever  they  went.  There  were 
those  who  said  that  more  than  a  dozen  men. 
guards  and  others,  had  gone  to  their  eternal  sleep 
on  their  account.  In  spite  of  so  many  atrocities, 
nobody  was  al)le  to  lay  hands  on  them,  and  the 
three  brothers  continued  tranquilly  in  their  j)rofit- 
able  industry,  which  was  not  only  the  distilling  of 
brandy  in  an  inaccessible  ravine  of  La  Sabanilla, 
but  also  the  smuggling  of  great  quantities  of  cog- 
nac, revolvers  and  ammunition,  passing  the  pack- 
ages through  the  very  beards  of  the  customs 
guards  on  the  San  Carlos.* 

•A  river  in  the  northern  part  of  Costa  Kica  near  the  Nicaraguan 
boundary. 


140  CUENTOS    TICOS 

"Who  are  these  Arias?"  asked  Juan  Rodriguez 
again. 

"The  Arias  are  the  worst  bandits  in  Costa 
Rica.  May  God  save  you  from  ever  meeting 
them,"  replied  one  of  the  guards. 

"I'm  not  afraid  of  anybody,"  replied  the  good- 
natured  Hercules,  simply. 

"I  like  that,  Juan,"  said  the  corporal,  who 
knew  the  courage  of  his  subordinate.  "But  with 
the  Arias  it  is  not  enough  to  be  very  brave  and 
strong;  one  has  also  to  be  very  quick  on  the  trig- 
ger, for  they  are  worse  than  the  Old  Nick  him- 
self." 

Amusing  themselves  with  this  kind  of  talk, 
they  reached  Itiquis  about  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  The  corporal,  whp  brought  up  the 
rear  with  Juan  Rodriguez,  heard  the  hoof-beats 
of  a  horse  that  seemed  to  be  overtaking  them  and 
which  was  soon  abreast  of  the  party.  Villalta 
accosted  the  horseman,  whose  presence  was  felt, 
but  whom  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish,  such 
was  the  darkness  of  the  night. 

"Where  are  you  going,  my  friend?" 
"I'm  going  to  La  Sabanilla;  and  you?" 
"We  are  going  just  a  little  beyond  here." 
"What  a  pity!     We  ought  to  ride  together  to 
the  vela*  of  '>Jor  Juan  Carvajal." 

"Then  'Nor  Juan  has  a  vela  on  for  to-night?" 
"Yes,  and  they  say  it's  going  to  be  very  fine. 
Good  night,  sefiores,"  added  the  horseman,  start- 
ing on. 

'Celebration    in    honor    of   a    saint 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I4I 

"May  God  take  you  safely,  friend,"  replied 
Villalta. 

When  the  stranger  had  gone  he  added  between 
his  teeth :  "To-night  we're  going  to  catch  some- 
thing. That  old  dolt  of  a  Juan  Carvajal  isn't 
the  first  fox  that's  tried  to  fool  me." 


The  "vela"  of  'Nor*  Juan  Carvajal  was  very 
fine,  as  were  all  the  festivals  celebrated  in  his 
house,  for  besides  being  rich  he  was  fond  of  dis- 
play; that  night,  however,  he  wished  to  outdo 
even  himself  in  honor  of  San  Jeronimo,  who  was 
resplendent  upon  an  improvised  altar,  adorned 
with  long  wax  candles  and  artificial  flowers.  At 
night-fall,  they  had  commenced  to  set  off  fire- 
crackers in  the  corridor  of  the  house,  and  out- 
side, the  sky-rockets  went  up  with  a  great  rush, 
tracing  a  line  of  red  gold  in  the  sky  and  finally 
bursting  high  alv)ve  with  a  sharp  noise  which 
reverberated  through  valleys  and  mountains,  jiro- 
claiming  for  leagues  around  the  glory  of  San 
Jeronimo  and  the  splendor  of  his  festival. 

When  the  prayers,  which  were  long,  had  been 
said,  the  ball  commenced  with  a  mazurka,  played 
by  a  weird  kind  of  an  orchestra,  com])osc(l  of  a 
trombone,  a  clarionette  and  a  sackbut.  which 
made  one  of  those  noises  that  once  heard  can 
never  be  forgotten.  Not  less  than  twenty  couples 
were  dancing  in  the  large  room,  which  was 
decorated    with    brnnchcs   of   "urura"   and    plnn- 

"Contraction     of     Scfior,     iisnl    \>y    the    country    people    of    Costa 
Rica. 


142  CUENTOS    TICOS 

tain  leaves  in  the  doors  and  windows.  In  the 
adjoining  room,  upon  a  table  covered  with  a 
spotless  cloth,  was  a  great  quantity  of  crackers, 
rosquetes,*  quesadillas,  and  sweet  bread,  not  to 
mention  two  large  trays  full  of  biscuits  and  meat 
pies.  While  the  young  people  were  dancing,  the 
older  ones,  who  had  prayed  enough  to  satisfy 
their  consciences,  began  to  satisfy  their  stomachs 
with  various  delicacies  and  an  accompaniment 
of  coffee  and  chocolate.  Many  of  them  had  made 
a  regular  day's  journey  to  come  from  their  homes 
to  that  of  'Nor  Juan,  situated  in  a  thinly  in- 
habited district  at  considerable  distance  from  any 
populated  place;  the  women  in  oxcarts,  the  men 
on  horseback  or  on  foot. 

When  the  mazurka  was  ended,  'Ra  Dominga, 
the  wife  of  '5Jor  Juan,  circulated  about  with  a 
small  tray  loaded  with  white  paper  cigarettes,  and 
the  dancers  of  both  sexes  began  to  smoke.  Im- 
mediately afterwards  an  extraordinary  ceremony 
commenced. 

"Sefiores,"  said  the  master  of  the  house,  "let 
us  adore  the  saint." 

Suiting  the  deed  to  the  word,  he  went  up  to 
the  image  and  prostrating  himself  before  it, 
kissed  its  feet  for  a  long  time.  All  the  men,  one 
after  another,  did  the  same.  The  women 
showed  themselves  much  less  devout  and  there 
were  only  four  or  five  who  kissed  the  feet  of  San 
Jeronimo. 

A  waltz  followed  the  mazurka,  and  after  that 

•Sweet  cakes   much   Hkcu  by   the   Costa   Ricans. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I43 

came  a  second  mazurka,  the  dances  alternating 
with  an  equal  number  of  adorations  of  the  saint; 
and,  an  unheard  of  thing!  the  men  began  to 
get  tipsy  without  drinking,  for  in  all  the  house 
there  were  scarcely  three  bottles  of  diluted 
"Guaro"*   for  the  women. 

Among  the  women  present  four  or  five  had 
more  than  their  share  of  good  looks,  but  none  of 
them  could  rival  ]\Iaria  Carvajal.  the  niece  of 
'5Jor  Juan.  One  could  not  find  a  more  beautiful 
girl  in  all  La  Sabanilla,  nor  in  San  Pedro. 
Dressed  in  a  low-necked  camisaf  covered  with 
spangles,  and  a  blue  woolen  skirt  trimmed  with 
braid,  she  was  as  fresh  and  dainty  as  a  peach.  All 
the  young  men  present  were  hovering  about  her 
like  bees  around  a  flower,  but  hardly  any  of  them 
succeeded  in  drawing  very  near,  because  the 
sweetheart  of  the  girl  was  there  beside  her,  a 
jealous  man  and  of  "few  fleas,":}:  who  permitted 
her  to  dance  only  with  his  intimate  friends,  keep- 
ing her  for  himself  most  of  the  time. 

For  the  fourth  time  he  was  dancing  with  her  to 
the  tune  of  an  awful  composition,  in  the  midst  of 
which  one  could  recognize  bits  of  a  Strauss  waltz, 
when  of  a  sudden  the  music  ceased  with  a  sad 
wail  from  the  clarionettc. 

"Halt  with  the  dancing,"  cried  an  individual, 
standing  with  an  insolent  air  in  one  end  of  the 
room.  His  right  hand  grasped  the  clarionctte, 
which  he  had  just  snatched  from  the  astonished 

•Brandy  made  from  lufrar  cane. 

tl.f'WTirckcd,     shnrt-slccvc'l     (j.irmcnt      worn      by     women      of      the 
Peon    class. 
JA    slang    expression    meaning    short    tempered. 


144  CUENTOS    TICOS 

musician.  The  new-comer,  who  seemed  to  be 
about  twenty-seven  years  old,  was  a  tall,  robust 
young  fellow,  and  would  have  been  handsome 
had  his  face  not  been  disfigured  by  the  deep  scar 
of  a  terrible  machete  stroke.  His  eyes,  of  an  in- 
definite color,  looked  about  with  disquieting 
insolence.  He  wore  a  short  riding  jacket  and 
had  a  red  silk  handkerchief  knotted  about  his 
neck.  Somebody  pronounced  his  name:  "Jose 
Arias,"  while  he,  quite  calmly,  was  surveying  all 
the  women.  He  soon  came  to  a  decision,  returned 
the  clarionette  to  the  terrified  musician,  went 
straight  to  Maria  Carvajal,  and,  pushing  aside 
her  sweetheart  without  any  preamble,  embraced 
the  girl  with  his  sinewy  arms  and  shouted :  "Now 
the  music,  bandmaster!" 

The  musicians  did  not  wait  for  a  second  order 
and  began  to  play  with  ill-directed  zeal,  while  the 
terrible  contrabandist  and  Maria  Carvajal  circled 
about  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  which  became 
deserted  while  one  could  say  amen.  The  women 
crossed  themselves  and  called  on  their  patron 
saints.  The  men,  burning  with  wrath,  went  in 
search  of  their  machetes. 

Tl-.e  ];resence  of  Jose  Arias  at  the  "vela"  was 
entirely  casual,  as  no  inhabitant  of  that  region 
would  have  cared  to  have  such  a  guest  in  his 
house  for  many  reasons;  one  of  them,  because 
when  Jose  Arias  took  it  into  his  head  to  carry  ofif 
a  girl  on  the  crupper  of  his  horse,  he  carried  her, 
and  there  was  no  help  for  it. 

That  night  he  was  passing  that  way  with  a 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 45 

comrade  in  adventures,  when  he  heard  the  music 
and  saw  the  Hghts  of  the  "vela." 

His  first  idea  was  to  ride  in  on  horseback,  as 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  doing  in  these  affairs;  but 
as  he  was  not  in  a  hurry,  he  thought  it  was  better 
to  act  decently,  limit  himself  to  one  dance  with 
the  prettiest  girl,  and  then  continue  his  journey. 
Having  taken  this  peaceful  resolution,  he  told  his 
companion  to  wait  for  him  a  moment,  dis- 
mounted, took  off  liis  spurs  and  as  he  was  not 
intending  to  start  a  brawl,  hung  them  on  the 
pommel  of  his  saddle,  together  with  the  long, 
cross-hilted  machete  which  he  unfastened  from 
his  belt.  We  have  already  seen  what  Jose  Arias 
considered  good  behavior.  His  fierce  and  half- 
savage  nature  did  not  recognize  any  formalities. 
and  he  knew  only  how  to  act  on  the  impulse  of 
his  desires  and  caprices.  Thus  it  was  that  he  did 
not  understand  the  extent  nf  his  aggressive  act 
and  was  surj)rised  to  see  several  men  enter  with 
unsheathed  machetes. 

"Ah,  you  coyotes!"  he  shouted,  letting  go  of 
the  girl  who  was  trembling  with  fear.  "Xow 
you'll  see  who  Jose  Arias  is." 

With  the  quick  decision  of  a  man  who  feels 
no  fear,  he  cast  a  glance  about  in  search  of  a 
weapon  with  which  to  defend  himself.  Seeing 
nothing  better  he  darted  to  the  altar,  and  pulled 
off  the  image  with  one  jerk.  San  Jeronimo  was 
tcrril>ly  lieavy.  but  the  contrabandist,  who  was 
exceptionally  strong,  raiscrl  it  with  both  hanrls. 
and  without  waiting  for  bis  ad\ersarics.  started 


146  CUENTOS    TICOS 

forward  to  attack  them.  These  now  hesitated  in 
their  assault,  all  except  the  sweetheart  of  Maria 
Carvajal,  who  aimed  a  blow  at  him  that  fell  like 
an  axe-stroke  upon  the  head  of  the  saint. 

'The  Guards!  The  Guards!"  shouted  several 
voices  from  outside. 

As  if  by  magic,  the  enemies  of  the  contra- 
bandist slipped  away.  At  that  moment  Juan 
Rodriguez  entered,  revolver  in  hand;  but  he 
scarcely  had  time  to  say  "Surrender,"  when  the 
poor  fellow  fell  with  his  head  battered  by  a  tre- 
mendous saint-stroke.  With  the  agility  of  a  deer 
Jose  Arias  passed  between  the  surprised  guards. 
A  moment  afterwards,  he  was  galloping  away 
saluted  by  the  shots  that  Villalta  and  his  men 
fired  after  him;  and  as  some  of  them  wanted  to 
follow  him  to  avenge  Juan  Rodriguez,  the  cor- 
poral, who  knew  what  kind  of  horses  the  bandit 
rode,  said  tersely: 

"There's  no  use,  boys.  Let  us  stay  here,  for 
a  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  more  than  a  hundred 

flying." 

And  what  a  fat  bird  the  guards  had  trapped! 
Nothing  less  than  the  elusive  San  Jeronimo,  who 
lay  at  full  length  upon  poor  Juan  Rodriguez, 
whose  companions  helped  him  to  get  up.  The 
corporal  became  absorbed  in  examining  the  saint. 
Suddenly  he  gave  a  shout  of  joy. 

"Now  I  see  the  trick!  Now  I  see  the  trick!" 
he  exclaimed,  at  the  same  time  moving  an  in- 
genious mechanism,  concealed  in  one  of  the  toes 
on  the  left  foot  of  the  image,  and  from  which  a 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I47 

little  Stream  of  contraband  brandy  spurted  forth. 
San  Jeronimo  was  bleeding  "Guaro." 

Pedro  Villalta,  more  pleased  than  if  he  had  dis- 
covered the  Americas,  raised  the  image  and 
putting  it  again  upon  the  altar  said  to  his  wonder- 
struck  companions : 

"Boys,  let  us  adore  the  saint,"  and  in  order  to 
set  the  example  he  kissed  with  devotion  the  foot 
of  the  blessed  one. 


On  the  following  night,  while  San  Jeronimo, 
with  his  head  broken,  lay  in  his  prison,  the 
governor  of  Alajuela  and  his  friends  supped  mer- 
rily, invited  by  the  commandant  of  the  plaza, 
who  had  lost  his  bet. 


LA  POLITICA. 
(politics.) 

BY  the  dying  light  of  a  tallow  candle,  stuck  in 
a  bottle,   Evaristo  was    reading  with    diffi- 
culty the  leaflet  which  had  been  given  him 
that  morning  on  the  streets  of  San  Jose. 

Seated  in  a  large  leather  covered  armchair,  his 
father,  old  'Nor  Juan  Alvarez,  gamonal*  of  the 
village  of  San  Miguel,  listened  to  the  reading  of 
the  leaflet,  which  was  a  violent  diatribe  of  a 
coarse  nature  against  the  candidate  of  the  pro- 
gressive ]5arty  for  the  next  presidential  cam- 
paign. The  anonymous  author  heaped  rhetorical 
injuries  upon  him,  and  called  his  followers  trai- 
tors and  slaves.  These  virulent  expressions  of 
cam])aign  parlance  did  not  make  much  of  an 
imi)ression  on  the  mind  of  the  old  man:  all  of 
that  jargon  was  little  less  than  Greek  to  him;  but 
when  Evaristo  came  to  the  part  where  it  was 
said  that  the  candidate  was  a  heretic  who  never 
went  to  mass  and  would  close  up  the  churches  if 
he  came  into  power,  he  knit  his  eyebrows,  dis- 
turbed and  disgusted.     The  article  ended  with  a 

*The  leading  citizen  of  a  village. 
148 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 49 

hyperbolical  eulogy  of  the  candidate  of  the  op- 
posing faction  called  the  Nationalist  party,  and 
the  enumeration  of  the  advantages  and  benefits 
which  would  accrue  to  the  country  on  his  coming 
to  the  presidency,  among  which  shone  in  the  first 
line  the  liberty  to  make  brandy  and  plant  tobac- 
co.* Guaro  and  tobacco  free!  This  was  the 
"in  hoc  signo  vinces''  of  the  party. 

"What  a  fine  thing!"  exclaimed  Evaristo  en- 
thusiastically. "It  probably  isn't  true,"  replied 
the  old  man,  who  was  skeptical,  as  is  natural  to 
old  age.     "I  don't  believe  what  these  papers  say." 

"Well,  I  believe  every  bit  of  it,"  said  the 
young  man.  "Don  flannel  told  me  this  morn- 
ing, when  I  was  ])aying  him  the  reales  1  owed 
him,  that  the  National  party  is  the  good  one." 

Don  Manuel  was  a  pharmacist  of  San  Jose,  to 
whom  Evaristo  took  his  doubts. 

"And  I  tell  you  that  you  mustn't  believe  all 
that  about  free  guaro  and  tobacco." 

Evaristo  shook  his  head  obstinately.  The  old 
man  continued:  "I  have  already  told  you  that  the 
licenciado  Castrillo,  who  knows  more  than  Don 
Manuel  because  he  is  a  lawyer,  said  to  me  last 
week  that  everything  the  Nationalists  are  telling 
is  a  lie.  and  that  one  mustn't  pay  any  attention 
to  it." 

The  young  man  did  not  dare  to  keep  on  reply- 
ing, but  the  arguments  of  liis  father  did  not  con- 
vince   him,    for   the   reason    that   he   considered 

•The    Costa    Ric.Tn    gcivrrnmcnt    ha*   a    monopoly   on    the    manufac- 
ture   of    liquor,   and    f<)rmerly    on    tobacco   also. 


150  CUENTOS    TICOS 

them  partial,  because  the  old  man  was  a  pro- 
gressist. 

Some  months  before  the  birth  of  the  new  party 
which  was  now  making  such  a  disturbance,  the 
old  man  was  passing  one  morning  in  front  of  the 
office  of  the  jefe  politico,  when  the  latter  spied 
him  and  made  him  come  into  his  sanctum,  when 
he  said  to  him :  "  'Nor  Juan,  you  are  an  honest, 
industrious  and  orderly  man;  everybody  in  San 
Miguel  respects  and  likes  you;  for  that  reason, 
and  on  account  of  the  good  feeling  I  have 
for  you,  I  want  you  to  be  the  first  to  sign  the 
list  of  adherents  to  the  progressist  candi- 
date." 

The  old  man,  disagreeably  surprised,  did  not 
know  what  to  answer.  Motionless,  with  his  eyes 
fastened  on  the  feet  of  the  official,  his  opposition 
was  evident,  for,  like  a  true  country  man,  he  was 
suspicious  and  did  not  like  to  make  promises, 
and  even  less  to  sign  any  agreement.  The  poli- 
tician persisted : 

"Our  candidate  is  a  perfect  gentleman,  good 
and  honorable,  who  will  work  for  the  well  being 
of  the  country.  You  know  very  well  that  I  am 
incapable  of  giving  you  bad  advice." 

As  the  old  man  still  kept  silent,  inspecting  the 
floor,  the  official  added,  after  a  pause : 

"Well,  some  other  day  we'll  talk  it  over  more 
at  leisure,  but  now  let's  go  and  take  a  drink  like 
good  friends."  And  without  giving  him  time  to 
reply,  he  took  the  gamonal's  arm  familiarly  and 
led  him  to  La  Sirena,  the  best  and  most  elegant 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I5I 

pulperia*  of  San  ^Miguel.  One  hour  later,  'Nor 
Juan  returned  to  his  house  with  his  ideas  consid- 
erably twisted  from  oft-repeated  glasses  of  rum, 
not  so  much  so  however  that  he  could  not  remem- 
ber that  he  had  returned  with  the  politician  to  his 
office  and  that  his  signature  was  there  inscribed 
on  a  sheet  of  paper,  below  certain  written  lines, 
which  he  could  not  read  for  the  very  good  reason 
that  he  did  not  know  how.  And  in  this  wise  'Nor 
Juan  Alvarez  had  become  a  jirogressist.  With 
the  bait  of  the  gamonal's  signature,  the  jefe  polit- 
ico was  able  to  ensnare  all  the  leading  citizens 
of  San  Miguel,  because  'Nor  Juan  always 
brought  over  the  opinions  of  his  fellow  citizens, 
among  whom  he  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  a  pru- 
dent and  honest  man. 

Thus  it  was  that  when  afterwards  the  first 
emissaries  of  the  opposing  ])arty  arrived,  they 
soon  returned  disap])r)inted  saying  that  nothing 
could  \ye  done  in  that  village,  so  unanimously 
progressist  in  sentiment.  But  their  labors  were 
not  on  that  account  entirely  fruitless.  The  seed 
sown  si)rung  uj)  in  the  end.  Tliere  were  two  or 
three  citizens  of  independent  and  rel)ellious  spirit 
who  enrf)lled  themselves  in  the  Nationalist  ranks, 
and  little  by  little  those  who  did  not  like  the  jefe 
politico  began  to  join  them,  forming  altogether 
a  small  but  turbulent  group  who  carried  on  an 
active  camjjaign;  but  as  'j^or  Juan  remained  im- 
movable, the  majority  of  the  village  remained 
equally  firm,  with  a  few  exceptions. 

*A  Rcncral  store  in  Central  America,  where  liquors  and  all  kinds 
of  merchandise  arc   sold. 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


Among  these  was  the  son  of  the  gamonal,  Eva- 
risto,  who  had  allowed  himself  to  be  seduced  by 
the  promises  and  flattery  of  the  apostles  of  the 
new  party ;  and  although  he  continued  among  the 
progressists  out  of  consideration  for  his  father, 
in  his  inmost  soul  he  was  a  Nationalist. 

The  priest,  closely  watched  by  the  jefe  polit- 
ico, was  very  cautious  at  the  beginning.  Neither 
did  the  women  show  any  great  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  politics. 

Nevertheless  there  came  a  time  when  one 
could  notice  signs  of  agitation  among  them,  es- 
pecially in  the  guild  of  church  workers,  these 
symptoms  coinciding  with  certain  rumors  that 
the  progressist  candidate  was  nothing  less  than 
the  Antichrist. 

As  soon  as  he  had  learned  of  these  fabulous 
stories,  the  jefe  politico,  who  was  not  slow,  hast- 
ened to  inform  his  superiors  that  the  priest  of  San 
Miguel  was  working  in  favor  of  the  Nationalist 
candidate. 

One  day  the  gamonal's  wife  and  his  two  daugh- 
ters, Agapita  and  Ester,  came  home  very  much 
scandalized  by  what  they  had  heard  in  the  street 
from  their  friends  and  village  gossips,  that  the 
progressists  were  lost  to  salvation;  that  they  were 
all  masons;  that  it  was  not  possible  that  their 
husband  and  father,  so  religious  and  so  good, 
could  be  one  of  those  heretic  liberals,  etc. 

The  old  man,  disturbed  by  these  things  which 
the  alarmed  women  told  him,  took  advantage  of 
r.n  occasion  when  he  wanted  to  sell  some  corn   to 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I53 

go  to  San  Jose  and  consult  with  the  licenciado 
Castrillo,  the  man  who  had  his  complete  confi- 
dence. Castrillo  was  a  progressist  and  one  can 
understand  that  'Nor  Juan  came  out  of  his  house 
somewhat  more  tranquil.  He  made  this  evident 
to  his  family  when  he  returned  at  night  saying 
that  they  were  not  to  give  credit  to  any  of  those 
tales  of  masons  and  of  shutting  the  churches. 

Evaristo  did  not  say  a  word.  Agapita  and 
Ester  looked  with  significance  at  their  mother,  to 
incite  her  to  answer.  After  a  moment  of  silence, 
'53'a  Mercedes  spoke :  "Of  course,  it  must  be  true, 
as  that  gentleman  has  said  so,  but  what  I  know  is 
that  the  people  of  the  Centers*  haven't  any  relig- 
ion." The  gamonal  made  no  reply,  but  his  silence 
indicated  that  his  wife's  remark  had  struck  home. 
On  seeing  him  thus,  so  wrapped  in  thought,  the 
women  believed  that  the  moment  had  arrived  for 
making  a  decisive  attack  on  the  vacillating  mind 
of  the  head  of  the  family,  and  they  hinted  to  him 
that  he  ought  to  break  away  from  the  progressist 
party  so  as  not  to  lose  his  soul. 

"I  won't  change."  shouted  the  old  man,  strik- 
ing the  table,  on  which  he  was  leaning,  with  his 
fist.  "T  have  already  given  my  signature  and 
it  is  settled." 

On  hearing  the  blow,  the  women  betook  them- 
selves to  the  kitchen  in  two  jumps,  and  after  that 
scene  there  was  no  more  talk  of  parties  nor  of  pol- 
itics, until  the   day  when    Evaristo    brought    the 

•(Author's  Note.)  The  country  people  of  Costa  Rica  call  those 
who  live  in  the  cities  and  especially  persons  of  ci)nsc<|ucncc, 
"gcntes  del  centre"  or  people  of  the  centres. 


154  CUENTOS    TICOS 

leaflet  from  San  Jose,  after  the  reading  of  which 
the  gamonal  remained  much  preoccupied,  asking 
himself  if,  after  all,  what  was  said  in  it  might  not 
be  true,  and  doubts  began  to  assail  his  soul.  Aga- 
pita  and  Ester,  who  came  in  with  the  supper  for 
the  two  men,  succeeded  in  arousing  their  father 
from  the  profound  meditation  in  which  he  was 
submerged.  Behind  them  came  Jose,  a  little  boy 
of  five  years,  son  of  Agapita,  who  was  a  widow. 
His  grandfather,  who  was  very  fond  of  him,  gave 
him  a  caress  and  seated  himself  at  the  table  in 
silence. 

"Ave  Maria  purissima,"  said  a  voice  from 
outside  at  that  moment. 

"En  Gracia  concebida,"  replied  the  women. 
In  the  doorway  was  outlined  the  silhouette  of  a 
man. 

"Does  the  Senor  Juan  Alvarez  live  here?" 
asked  the  voice. 

"Yes,  senor.  Come  in,"  answered  'Na  Mer- 
cedes, who  came  from  the  kitchen. 

"May  God  give  you  a  very  good  night,"  said 
the  new  arrival,  entering  the  house.  "May  the 
Lord  make  you  all  saints." 

"Amen,"  responded  the  family  in  chorus. 
"Have  the  goodness  to  be  seated,  Senor,"  said 
the  widow,   drawing    up    an    armchair    for  the 
sweet-tongued  unknown. 

"Many  thanks,  Senora.  but  first  I  wish  to 
know  one  thing:  this  house,  is  it  of  God,  or  of 
the  devil  ?" 

"Of  God,  Senor!"  exclaimed  the  frightened 
women. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 55 

"Very  well,  then  you  are  of  the  Nationalist 
party." 

A  painful  silence  followed  this  assertion,  and 
Evaristo  turned  to  look  at  the  old  man,  who  low- 
ered his  head  before  the  cold  glance  of  the  un- 
known one,  who  continued : 

"A  christian  as  honorable  as  Sefior  Juan 
Alvarez  can  not  be  with  the  masons,  who  are 
going  to  burn  the  churches." 

The  gamonal  felt  terrified  on  hearing  this. 
Then  it  was  all  true! 

"And  of  what  party  are  you?"  'Na  Mercedes 
mustered  courage  to  ask. 

"I  ?  Of  the  party  of  Our  Lord.  Now  you 
may  see  my  candidate — "  and  on  saying  this  he 
drew  a  crucifix  out  of  his  breast  pocket,  the  feet 
of  which  he  kissed  with  devotion.  The  whole 
family  remained  awe-struck  before  that  act  of 
piety,  and  Jose,  to  see  better  what  he  had  in  his 
hand,  ran  and  placed  himself  between  tiie  knees 
of  the  stranger. 

"What  a  beautiful  child!"  exclainicd  the  latter, 
on  seeing  him.  "What  an  intelligent  little  face 
he  has.  I  flon't  know  why.  but  I  have  a  feeling 
that  he  is  going  tr>  be  a  jjriest." 

.Vgapita  felt  like  crying  out  for  pure  gratitude. 
and  nf)ne  of  them  had  eyes  enough  to  contem- 
plate that  extraorrlinary  man  of  such  a  venerable 
aspect.  "Rnr  Juan  forgot  to  eat  his  supper.  In 
his  clean-shaven,  weather-beaten  face,  of  the  old 
Castilian  tyjjc.  to  which  be  belonged  by  descent, 
was   painted   the   inwartl   conflict    which   be  was 


156  CUENTOS    TICOS 

carrying  on.  The  gamonal  belonged  to  the  old 
race  of  honest  country  people,  who  never  were 
false  to  what  they  had  once  promised  by  tracing 
a  cross  and  pulling  out  a  hair  from  the  beard; 
and  he  had  not  only  promised  the  jefe  politico  to 
support  the  progressist  candidate,  but  had  also 
mechanically  signed  "Juan  Albares"  on  the  list 
of  adherents,  and  that  signature  he  considered 
as  sacred.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  how  was  it 
possible  that  he,  such  a  good  catholic,  so  god- 
fearing, would  contribute  his  vote  to  the  bringing 
into  power  of  a  man  who  proposed  to  make  an 
end  of  religion?  All  the  fanaticism  of  his  race 
rose  up  in  revolt  at  the  sting  of  this  thought. 
While  the  gamonal  was  absorbed  in  such  intri- 
cate problems,  the  man  of  the  crucifix  was  chat- 
ting pleasantly  with  the  women,  and  made  them 
presents  of  scapularies,  with  which  he  was  well 
provided.  Into  the  mouth  of  Jose  he  put  a  gum- 
drop,  and  the  child,  with  the  curiosity  natural  to 
his  years,  asked  what  his  name  was.  He,  giving 
him  a  kiss  on  his  dirty  face,  told  it  to  him; 
Simeon  Garcia. 

"Ah,  you  are  Don  Simeon !"  exclaimed  the 
widow,  opening  wide  her  eyes.  "Everybody  says 
that  you  are  a  saint." 

"I  am  no  more  than  a  poor  sinner,  who  does 
not  want  the  people  to  be  cheated,"  modestly 
responded  Don  Simeon. 

In  the  next  room  a  child  began  to  cry.  It  was 
the  youngest  son  of  Agapita,  only  six  months 
old,  who  had  been  born  after  the  death  of  his 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 59 

father,  which  was  caused  by  a  hydropathic  cure. 
To  carry  out  the  directions  of  a  doctor,  who  had 
prescribed  a  dozen  sea  baths,  the  man  set  out  for 
Puntarenas,  having  his  oxcart  loaded  with  coffee. 
Scarcely  had  he  delivered  it  at  the  warehouse 
when  he  took  religiously  one  after  another  and 
on  the  same  day  the  dozen  baths.  A  little  remit- 
tent bilious  fever  then  undertook  to  complete  the 
cure. 

Don  Simeon  manifested  a  great  desire  to  see 
the  child,  and  went  into  ecstacies  over  his  angelic 
beauty,  although  in  truth  he  was  sufficiently  ugly. 
The  mother  took  the  child  in  her  arms  to  quiet 
him,  while  '^\a  Mercedes  in  a  low  tone  implored 
Don  Simeon  to  use  his  influence  with  her  hus- 
band, obstinately  determined  to  remain  a  pro- 
gressist. Agapita  also  i)ut  in  her  oar:  "Por 
Dios!     Don  Simeon,  tell  'tata'*  to  change." 

"Here  is  one  who  is  all  powerful,"  replied  the 
holy  man,  drawing  out  the  crucifix  again. 

When  he  returned  to  the  room  where  the 
gamonal  had  remained,  the  latter  invited  him 
very  cordially  to  supper.  Scarcely  had  he  ac- 
cepted, when  the  women  hastened  to  bring  out  the 
very  best  of  their  good  cheer  to  serve  to  so  illus- 
trious a  guest.  Tester  brought  some  frijolesf- 
that  had  a  delicious  odor,  and  some  hot  tortillas, 
'5Ja  Merceries  a  foamy  cuj)  of  chocolate,  which 
she  herself  had  beaten  uj),  and  a  loaf  of  sweet 
bread.  When  supper  was  over,  the  two  men  con- 
versed a  long  while  alone.     In  tlie  kitchen  '5Ja 

•fAiitlior's   note.)      Used    for   paji.T   by   the   country   iiroplc. 
t  Beans. 


l60  CUENTOS    TICOS 

jMercedes,  Evaristo  and  Ester  whispered,  await- 
ing the  result  of  the  interview,  while  the  widow 
lulled  the  baby  with  a  monotonous  song: 

"Arrurrti   iiiiiito, 
Cabcza  de  ayote. 
Si  no  te  dor  mis 
Te  come  el  coyote." 

When  the  conference  was  finished,  '5Jor  Juan 
called  his  wife  and  children.  When  they  came 
in  he  said  to  them :  "Don  Simeon  wishes  that  we 
say  the  rosary." 


The  following  day  was  Sunday.  From  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning  the  people  who  were 
going  to  attend  the  principal  mass  began  to 
arrive  at  the  church.  The  men  wore  their  new 
jackets,  Panama  hats,  and  trousers  supported  at 
the  hips  by  colored  sashes.  The  women  were 
gay  in  their  rebozos*  of  bright  colored  silk,  their 
starched  petticoats  rustling  loudly  beneath  skirts 
of  alpaca  or  chintz,  nicely  ironed  with  much 
care.  Those  who  came  from  distant  points  had 
their  heads  covered  with  wide  brimmed  Panama 
hats,  and  some  carried  parasols.  From  time  to 
time  one  might  see  the  wife  and  daughters  of 
some  prominent  villager,  majestically  displaying 
panolonesf  of  black  silk  embroidered  with  pink 
flowers,  and  large  necklaces  and  ear-rings  of  sil- 
ver-plated filigree. 

•Long,  narrow  shawls  worn  by  women  of  the  poor  class. 
_  tLarge  china  silk  shawls  worn  by  the  women  of  the  upper  class 
in    Costa    Rica. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  l6l 

At  the  second  tolling  of  the  bells  Don  Simeon 
arrived,  very  lavish  with  his  smiles  and  saluta- 
tions. A  little  after  him  came  the  family  of  'f^'or 
Juan,  the  widow  in  deep  mourning,  Ester  fresh 
and  pretty  as  a  rosebud,  a  nice  little  morsel  for  a 
priest,  as  the  jefe  politico,  who  was  an  unbeliev- 
ing libertine,  irreverently  remarked.  The  mass 
lasted  an  hour.  Don  Simeon  edified  everybody 
by  his  beautiful  piety. 

At  the  moment  of  lifting  the  host  the  blows 
that  he  gave  himself  in  the  breast  resounded 
thrfjughout  the  whole  church.  There  was  no 
doubt  of  it,  that  man  was  a  saint. 

The  gamonal  and  Evaristo,  seated  behind  him, 
could  not  admire  enough  the  devout  air  with 
which  he  listened  to  the  sermon,  which  that  day 
was  \-ery  pointed,  touching  u])on  the  obligation 
which  was  incumbent  on  all  the  faithful  to  de- 
fend their  religion  menaced  by  liberals  and 
masons.  The  jiriest  had  resolutely  taken  off  his 
mask. 

At  the  doors  of  the  church  various  individuals 
distributed  leaflets  to  the  i)eople  as  they  came  out 
from  mass;  some  of  the  progressist  party,  others 
r)f  the  national.  Two  groups  of  seed-sowers, 
sent  r)ut  by  the  rival  political  clubs,  had  taken 
possession  of  the  plaza,  each  having  a  corner  to 
itself,  where  the  orators  who  were  to  speak  were 
standing  ready  ujjon  tables  lent  by  enthusiastic 
partisans.  The  speakers  of  each  i)arty  had  the 
floor  in  turn,  .'iiid  the  large  crowd  of  citizens  of 
San  Miguel  kept  inoxing  about  to  hear  first  one 


1 62  CUENTOS    TICOS 

and  then  the  other.  Little  or  nothing  did  the 
good  countrymen  understand  of  all  those  ha- 
rangues, delivered  with  so  much  enthusiasm  by 
the  young  delegates  of  the  central  clubs;  but  as 
the  Nationalists  were  the  ones  entrusted  with  the 
defence  of  their  religion,  everything  that  they 
said  seemed  right,  above  all  when  they  threw  out 
such  bits  of  flattery  as  "the  people  whose  sover- 
eignity must  be  re-established,  breaking  the 
chains  of  twenty  years  of  dictatorship,  etc."  The 
last  one  to  speak  was  a  progressist  of  much  elo- 
quence, who  in  concluding  said : 

"What  our  party  desires  is  to  raise  the  country 
to  the  heights  of  modern  civilization,  continuing 
the  work  of  former  administrations  which  have 
already  made  so  much  progress.  They  tell  you 
that  we  wish  to  destroy  religion.  It  is  false.  In 
the  first  place  we  respect  all  religious  beliefs,  and 
above  all  the  catholic  religion,  which  is  that  of 
our  fathers.  You  must  not  allow  yourselves  to 
be  deceived  by  these  absurd  and  ridiculous  stories 
which  hypocritical  and  evil  disposed  persons  have 
undertaken  to  spread  abroad.  Because,  senores, 
if  the  progressist  party  were  what  they  say,  there 
would  not  be  with  us  such  honorable  and  re- 
ligious men  as  .  Senor  Juan  Alvarez,  here 
present." 

At  that  moment  the  gamonal  was  the  mark 
for  all  glances.  Wedged  in  among  the  listeners, 
he  tried  to  hide  himself  to  conceal  his  confusion. 
Then,  as  the  crowd  began  to  disperse,  the  melodi- 
ous  voice  of   Don    Simeon    was   heard   saying: 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 63 

"Senores,  you  have  already  heard  the  arguments 
of  these  young  gentlemen.  Now  let  us  put  them 
to  the  proof.  I  ask  those  who  wish  to  form  part 
of  the  Nationalist  club  of  San  Miguel  to  have 
the  goodness  to  follow  me." 

Three  quarters  of  the  group  of  citizens  fol- 
lowed after  Don  Simeon,  who  on  seeing  that  'Ror 
Juan  Alvarez,  surrounded  by  a  few  faithful  ones, 
did  not  move,  added,  addressing  himself  to  him 
in  an  incisive  tone: 

"Don't  you  wish  to  accompany  us,  senor?" 

The  gamonal's  face  grew  red  and  he  did  not 
answer.  The  nationalist  group  waited.  It  was  a 
terrible  struggle  that  raged  in  the  breast  of  the 
old  countryman  during  those  moments. 

"Yes,  Don  Simeon,"  he  finally  answered.  Be- 
hind him  came  all  the  rest  of  the  people. 

"Viva  'Nor  Juan  Alvarez!"  cried  an  enthu- 
siast. 

"Viva !"  responded  the  retinue  of  Don  Simeon, 
with  a  ringing  shout. 

About  the  progressists  only  ten  or  twelve  in- 
dividuals remained,  among  whom  was  the  village 
school-master. 

"Miserable  flock  of  sheep!"  exclaimed  one  of 
the  voung  liberals,  who  could  not  contain  him- 
self' 

"They  were  born  to  be  sheared,"  murmured 
another. 

Then  as  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  there 
now  they  went  to  drown  their  chagrin  in  "La 
Sirena"    with    some  of   the   campaign    funfls. 


164  CUENTOS    TICOS 

From  the  memorable  day  on  which  he  deserted 
the  flag  of  the  enemies  of  the  church,  'Nor  Juan 
was  more  than  ever  the  king  of  his  village. 
Elected  president  of  the  Nationalist  club  of  San 
Miguel,  his  prestige  was  now  considerably  in- 
creased in  proportion  to  the  honor  which  his  fel- 
low citizens  had  conferred  on  him.  Every  little 
while  pamphlets  and  packages  of  printed  matter 
arrived  for  him,  directed  to  Don  Juan  Alvarez, 
President,  etc.,  etc.,  and  when  he  went  to  the 
city  the  leading  gentlemen  of  the  party  received 
him  with  much  consideration,  and  even  slapped 
him  on  the  back,  saying: 

"The  triumph  is  ours.  What  is  wanted  is 
great  firmness.''  To  which  he  invariably  re- 
plied : 

"Don't  worry  about  that.  The  people  are  solid 
for  our  candidate."  And  this  was  the  truth. 
Yet  that  which  finally  gave  the  people  of  San 
Miguel  such  a  great  idea  of  the  importance  of 
their  gamonal,  was  the  visit  which  he  paid  the 
candidate  in  company  with  Don  Simeon.  There 
was  not  one  citizen,  great  or  small,  who  did  not 
know  about  the  memorable  interview  with  all 
its  details;  the  glass  of  beer  and  the  cigar  which 
the  future  chief  executive  had  given  him  and  the 
afifectionate  words  he  had  said  to  him. 

Nevertheless  the  new  position  of  the  gamonal 
was  not  all  flowers.  There  was  no  lack  of  adver- 
sities to  embitter  his  triumph;  one  of  the  most 
serious  of  which  was  the  amount  of  money  that 
his  presidency  cost  him;  dollars  here  to  aid  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 65 

campaign,  dollars  there  to  celebrate  the  happen- 
ings favorable  to  the  cause,  more  dollars  to  get  a 
friend  out  of  the  straits  caused  by  his  political 
enthusiasm,  credit  to  fellow  partisans  with  few 
scruples.  In  short,  not  a  day  passed  that  he  did 
not  have  to  loosen  the  strings  of  his  purse.  An- 
other mortification  was  the  jefe  politico,  whose 
ironical  glance  he  could  not  endure.  He  avoided 
meeting  him,  because,  in  spite  of  everything,  an 
internal  voice  reproached  him  for  his  conduct. 
The  imperturbable  confidence  of  the  official  in 
the  final  triumph  of  his  cause  occasioned  him 
uneasiness;  his  mocking  little  smile  when  he 
heard  the  harangues  and  threats  of  the  excited 
partisans  he  considered  a  bad  omen,  and,  on  ac- 
count of  what  might  happen,  he  always  evaded 
replying  to  the  cutting  sarcasms  which  his  for- 
mer friend  directed  at  him.  He  did  not  believe 
it  prudent  to  break  off  entirely  with  that  man 
who  went  often  to  the  capital,  who  talked  with 
the  governor,  with  the  minister,  and  even  with 
the  president  himself.  But  not  all  the  citizens 
of  San  Miguel  had  the  same  diplomacy  as  the 
gamonal.  More  than  one.  made  courageous  by 
numerous  libations  in  honor  of  the  candidate, 
had  allowed  himself  to  utter  shouts  and  expres- 
sions prejudicial  to  the  princijjal  authority  of  the 
people.  The  punishment  was  not  long  in  coming. 
Those  who  made  the  most  disturbance  wont  to 
reside  in  the  cuartel. 

Evaristo,   thanks    to    the    position   which   his 
father  harl  always  occupied  in  the  village  and  the 


166  CUENTOS    TICOS 

consideration  which  the  authorities  had  for  him 
on  that  account,  had  not  yet  served  his  time  in 
the  army,  and  he  imagined  that  the  time  for 
shouldering  a  gun  would  never  arrive  for  him. 
Vain  illusion !  One  day  a  corporal  presented 
himself  at  the  house  and  carried  away  the  youth, 
with  five  or  six  others.  That  night  'Nor  Juan 
lay  awake  thinking  that  such  a  misfortune  would 
not  have  happened  in  the  days  when  he  was  on 
friendly  terms  with  the  jefe  politico. 

The  absence  of  Evaristo,  who  was  his  right 
arm,  the  time  which  his  duties  as  president  of  the 
club  required,  and  the  many  expenses  which  the 
position  caused  him,  brought  great  disorder  to 
the  business  affairs  of  the  gamonal,  usually 
so  well  managed.  Thus  it  was  that  as  an  im- 
portant note,  in  favor  of  a  bank,  was  about  to 
become  due,  'Nor  Juan  found  with  dismay  that 
it  would  not  be  possible  for  him  to  pay  it  at  the 
sti])ulated  time,  a  thing  which  would  happen  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life.  Much  worried,  he  went 
to  consult  the  lawyer  Castrillo,  to  ask  his  aid  in 
getting  out  of  the  difficulty.  The  latter  calmed 
him,  advising  him  to  request  a  renewal  of  the 
note,  a  thing  which  would  not  be  difficult  to 
obtain,  considering  the  good  reputation  which  his 
signature  and  that  of  his  surety,  Toribio  Cas- 
cante,  had  always  enjoyed. 

The  gamonal  went  to  the  bank  with  consid- 
erable dread,  for  he  considered  it  a  dishonor  to 
ask  for  a  renewal.  The  manager,  who  always 
had  treated  him  with  much  deference,  as  is  cus- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 6/ 

ternary  in  banks  when  dealing  with  persons  who 
have  money,  received  him  this  time  with  coldness 
and  reserve.  'Nor  Juan  explained  the  situation  to 
him.  making  plain  that  his  financial  distress  was 
but  temporary,  but  the  manager,  who  had  lis- 
tened to  him  absent-mindedly,  cut  him  short,  say- 
ing dryly :  "I  am  very  sorry,  Sefior  Alvarez,  but 
it  is  impossible.  You  understand  that  the  bank 
is  obliged  to  be  very  prudent,  in  view  of  the  dis- 
agreeable aspect  political  affairs  are  assuming." 
These  last  words  were  said  with  a  certain  signifi- 
cant tone.  The  countryman  went  out  ashamed 
and  with  tears  in  his  eyes;  still,  as  it  was  neces- 
sary to  pay,  he  had  to  seek  for  the  money  in 
another  direction.  A  coffee  buyer  promised  it  to 
him.  but  it  was  not  possible  to  finish  the  matter, 
because  Toribio  Cascante  did  not  wish  to  con- 
tinue acting  as  security  for  his  friend,  whom  he 
reproached  for  going  into  politics,  which  was  a 
bad  thing  he  said.  There  was  then  no  other 
remedy  than  to  go  to  a  money  lender,  who  let 
him  have  the  money  on  a  mortgage  at  a  very 
high  rate  of  interest. 

"If  you  hadn't  been  so  stuj)id  as  to  go  into 
politics" — the  lawyer  said  to  him,  when  they 
went  out  of  the  money  lender's  house — "the 
thing  could  have  been  arranged  in  the  bank;  but, 
my  friend,  you  have  allf)wcd  yourself  to  be  fool- 
ishly deceived  by  the  Nationalists,  and  imw  you 
must  take  the  consef|iienccs." 

These  worrls  made  the  gamonal  discern  that, 
if  politics  ff)r  a  certain   few  is  a  source  n{  pinfit 


1 68  CUENTOS    TICOS 

and  satisfaction,  for  the  majority  it  brings  only 
sorrows  and  tribulations.  The  joy  of  triumph 
came  to  sweeten  somewhat  the  bitterness  caused 
him  by  the  misfortunes  which  have  been  related. 
It  is  true  that  Evaristo  remained  in  the  cuartel 
and  a  ruinous  mortgage  weighed  upon  his  coffee 
plantation,  La  Lima,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  it 
was  a  great  pleasure  to  have  conquered,  to  have 
saved  religion,  the  supremacy  of  the  people,  men- 
aced by  those  bandits  of  progressists.  And  what 
a  splendid  victory  was  that  of  the  National  party 
in  San  Miguel !  In  vain  were  all  the  efforts  and 
threats  of  the  jefe  politico.  It  was  of  no  avail 
that  the  progressists,  who  were  in  the  majority 
at  the  electoral  table,  took  the  first  two  days  of 
the  elections  to  inscribe  the  fourteen  votes  which 
remained  to  their  party  in  the  village.  The  mass 
of  the  good  people,  who,  restrained  by  organized 
force,  were  awaiting  their  turn  with  impatience, 
was  finally  able  to  reach  the  table  on  the  last  day, 
drowning  in  an  instant  with  the  tide  of  their 
votes  the  poor  little  fourteen  of  their  adversaries. 
And  what  tenacity  those  enemies  of  God  had,  for 
did  they  not  try  to  take  by  force  that  which  the 
ballot-boxes  had  denied  them?  When  this  hap- 
pened, '5Jor  Juan  Alvarez  was  one  of  the  first  to 
rush  to  the  defence  of  the  imperilled  reward  at 
the  head  of  the  men  of  San  Miguel,  and  passed  a 
whole  night  laying  siege  to  the  capital,  disposed 
to  make  the  constitution  respected  and  also  to 
run  away  should  the  troops  draw  near.  Still,  one 
could  not  ask  more  of  a  man  armed  only  with  a 
machete. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 69 

At  last  came  the  g^reat  clay  of  the  final  triumph. 
The  gamonal,  who  was  ordinarily  very  self-con- 
tained, could  not  resist  the  desire  to  celebrate 
worthily  the  advent  of  the  executive  of  his  choice. 
When  at  night  he  returned  to  San  Migiiel,  after 
the  illuminations  and  fire-works,  in  company  with 
his  faithful  fellow  villagers  he  entered  the  village 
like  a  mad  man,  shouting  and  executing  pir- 
ouettes on  horseback.  In  one  of  these  the  animal 
slipped  and  fell,  breaking  one  of  his  master's  legs. 
'Ror  Juan  was  laid  up  more  than  three  months 
and  spent  a  considerable  sum  of  money  on  doc- 
tor's visits,  only  to  remain  lame  after  all. 

At  the  outset,  'Nor  Juan  Alvarez  recovered 
his  former  influence  with  the  new  jefe  politico. 
This  however  did  not  last  long,  for,  greatly  to 
the  scandal  of  all  the  good  citizens  who  had  aided 
in  creating  the  new  regime,  the  official  was  not 
long  in  getting  on  friendly  terms  with  the  pro- 
gressists of  San  Miguel,  especially  with  the  pro- 
prietor of  La  Sirena,  who  had  been  the  head  of 
the  party  there.  According  to  what  the  evil 
tongues  said,  the  astute  shopkeeper  gave  on 
credit  to  the  politician  all  the  cognac  that  he  could 
drink,  so  that  six  months  after  the  great  triumph, 
which  had  cost  so  much  labor,  those  who  really 
governed  the  village  were  the  keeper  of  the  pul- 
peria  and  his  fricnrls.  with  great  detriment  to  the 
conquerors.  The  disgusted  villagers  complained 
among  themselves,  and  there  were  even  some  who 
missed  the  former  jefe  politico,  who  after  all  was 
amiable    and    obliging.     An    anonymous   letter 


170  CUENTOS    TICOS 

against  the  new  man,  which  a  daily  paper  of  the 
capital  puhlished,  finished  the  work  of  spoiling 
things,  strengthening  the  union  of  the  official  and 
the  progressists,  who  wrote  another  letter  in 
which  they  hotly  defended  him  and  censured  the 
wayward  and  rebellious  spirit  of  certain  citizens 
of  San  Miguel,  who  aspired  only  to  command. 

The  relations  between  the  jefe  politico  and  the 
villagers  became  embittered  to  such  a  degree  that 
'Ror  Juan  Alvarez,  at  the  request  of  many  of  the 
citizens,  resolved  to  make  use  of  his  influence 
with  the  president  to  have  the  official  removed 
from  office. 

He  set  out  one  morning,  full  of  confidence, 
remembering  the  cordiality  of  the  reception 
which  the  president  had  given  him  when  he  was 
a  candidate.  As  he  was  riding  to  the  city, 
the  details  of  the  interview  came  to  his  mind;  the 
friendly  words,  the  cigar,  the  glass  of  beer,  the 
protests  of  good  will.  "As  soon  as  I  talk  to  him 
everything  will  be  arranged,"  thought  the  gam- 
onal,  as  he  sat  in  the  antechamber,  in  company 
with  ten  or  twelve  other  persons.  After  three 
hours  of  waiting,  his  confidence  was  not  so 
great,  and  when  his  turn  arrived,  and  an  aid 
directed  him  to  enter  the  office  of  the  chief  of  the 
government,  he  completely  lost  his  former  self- 
confidence.  One  glance  sufficed  to  inform  him 
that  the  man  before  him  was  not  now  the  good- 
natured,  smiling  candidate,  who  had  received 
him  with  so  much  afifability.  Cold  and  grave,  his 
glance  calmly  inrjuiring,  the  president  asked  him 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I7I 

the  motive  of  his  visit.  'Ror  Juan,  much 
disturbed,  explained  to  him,  timidly  and  with 
hesitation,  the  legitimate  complaints  of  the  Na- 
tionalists in  San  Miguel  against  the  jefe  politico, 
and  their  desire  that  he  be  removed.  With  unex- 
pected severity,  the  magistrate  rebuked  him  for 
the  spirit  of  rebellion  which  the  people  of  San 
Miguel  had  been  showing  for  some  time,  and  in- 
sisted on  the  necessity  of  respecting  the  authori- 
ties. Then  he  said  that  he  knew  the  jefe  politico 
personally,  that  he  was  a  good  man  and  worthy 
of  his  entire  confidence,  incapable  of  abusing  it; 
that  his  relations  with  the  progressists  were  far 
from  constituting  a  fault,  rather  it  was  a  proof 
of  his  amiable  and  conciliatory  disposition. 
Moreover,  it  was  well  that  things  were  as  they 
were,  for  the  country  was  desirous  of  tranquillity, 
and  the  hatreds  stirred  up  by  the  electoral  battle 
should  be  forg(jtten.  The  ctjuntryman  went  out 
from  the  interview  much  crestfallen  and  returned 
to  his  village  with  his  ears  drooping. 


To  the  enthusiasm  of  the  conflict  and  the  joy 
of  victory  in  San  Miguel  succeeded  the  most  bit- 
ter disencliaiitincnt.  The  chains  of  twenty  years 
of  dictatorship  were  to  have  been  broken,  the 
sovereignity  of  the  i)coj)le  was  to  have  been  re- 
established, the  slothful  men  of  the  former 
administrations  were  to  have  been  swc|)t  aside, 
but  the  truth  was  that  everything  remained  the 
same.      Religion   was  not   triumphant,   nor  were 


1^2  CUENTOS    TICOS 

"gnaro"  and  tobacco  free,  nor  had  anyone  a 
dollar  more  in  his  pocket.  What  had  the  citizens 
of  San  Miguel  gained  by  the  change?  To  be  sure 
they  had  been  given  a  new  jefe  politico.  A  great 
gain  indeed,  since  everybody  was  anxious  to  have 
him  leave!  The  progressists  laughed  at  the  dis- 
satisfaction of  their  adversaries,  and  when  the 
latter  complained  of  having  been  cheated  with 
false  promises,  they  answered :  "They  were  right 
in  taking  you  for  fools.  If  our  candidate  were 
in  power  it  would  be  another  cock  that  is  crow- 
ing. At  least  you  would  not  have  this  jefe  politi- 
co who  bothers  you  so  much."  In  all  the  village 
the  only  one  who  said  nothing  was  Toribio  Cas- 
cante,  the  former  surety  of  'Nor  Juan  Alvarez. 
He  neither  despised  the  jefe  politico  nor  desired 
the  return  of  the  former  one,  nor  clamored  for 
the  promised  suppression  of  the  monopoly  on 
brandy  and  tobacco.  This  rustic  philosopher  had 
never  believed  in  any  of  the  promises  of  the 
parties  that  were  contending  for  power;  and 
while  the  others  lost  time  in  talking,  in  agitating 
themselves,  in  drinking,  he  kept  quietly  on  with 
his  farm  labor  and  habitual  tasks,  without  worry- 
ing over  the  fact  that  they  called  him  "pancista,"* 
and  said  he  was  of  the  cat  party,  that  is  to  say, 
one  of  those  who  always  land  on  their  feet.  It 
was  thus  that  his  affairs  had  prospered.  The  cof- 
fee plantation  gave  good  returns,  the  cattle  were 
bursting  with  fatness,  and  every  Saturdav  he  re- 
turned from  the  market  with  his  pockets  full  of 

*One   who   is   on   the   fence. 


A    COFFEE    TREE    IN     BLOSSOM 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  175 

money.  In  contrast  with  this  pleasing  situation, 
that  of  'Nor  Juan  Alvarez  was  more  distressing 
each  day.  The  enormous  interest  that  the  money 
lender  charged  was  an  ulcer  that  was  eating  away 
his  fortune,  already  so  impaired.  The  small  crop 
which  La  Lima  produced,  on  account  of  lack  of 
assistance  during  the  absence  of  Evaristo,  com- 
pleted the  work  of  demoralizing  things,  and  the 
gamonal,  seeing  that  he  was  on  the  road  to  inevi- 
table ruin,  began  to  lose  heart, 

"Toribio  Cascante  is  the  only  one  who  can  get 
me  out  of  these  difficulties,"  he  used  often  to 
say  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  but  since  the 
wealthy  philoso])her  had  refused  to  keep  on  act- 
ing as  his  security  the  relations  between  the  two 
neighbors  and  friends  had  grown  cool.  This  did 
not  prevent  Cascante  from  making  prudent  obser- 
vations, when  'Xor  Juan  became  a  member  of  the 
Orthodox  League,  a  clerical  association  whose 
ramifications  extended  throughout  the  whole 
country  like  the  tentacles  of  a  monstrous  octoi)US, 
a  branch  r)f  which  llic  priest  had  just  founded  in 
San  Miguel.  The  citizens,  discontented  with  the 
government  and  having  still  fresh  in  their  imag- 
inations the  stupid  arguments  with  which  the 
nationalists  had  awakened  their  dormant  re- 
ligious fanaticism,  rallied  with  enthusiasm  to  the 
new  standard.  'Xor  Jurm  AKarc/  was  elected 
president  of  the  orthodox  club,  and  each  day 
conceived  a  greater  hking  for  politics.  Neverthe- 
less, when  the  i)riest  tnld  him  tliat  the  cause  of 
religion  was  very  poor  and  that  it  was  necessary 


176  CUEXTOS    TICOS 

for  all  true  believers  to  make  a  pecuniary  sacri- 
fice in  order  to  help  their  triumph,  he  felt  as 
though  they  had  dashed  a  bucket  of  cold  water 
over  him.  He  stammered  a  few  excuses  and 
vague  explanations  about  his  embarrassed  finan- 
cial situation.  But  the  priest,  who  knew  the 
habitual  avarice  of  the  country  people,  replied 
indignantly  that  as  a  rich  and  influential  man  he 
had  to  set  the  example;  that  his  fondness  for 
worldly  things  was  a  great  sin  in  the  eyes  of  God, 
who  had  heaped  good  things  upon  him;  that  our 
Lord  returns  a  hundred  fold  the  alms  that  are 
given  him,  and  that  it  would  not  be  a  bad  thing 
for  him  to  look  a  little  more  after  his  soul's  salva- 
tion. The  old  man,  with  grief  in  his  heart,  had  to 
detach  himself  from  a  considerable  sum.  A  little 
while  afterwards  the  opportunity  presented  itself 
for  testing  the  enormous  political  power  which 
the  Orthodox  League  represented. 

The  time  had  arrived  for  renewing  half  of  the 
congress,  and  the  real  leaders  behind  the  scenes 
who  pulled  the  wires  of  the  association  felt  sure 
of  the  triumph  of  the  clerical  ticket. 

In  the  morning  of  the  day  appointed  for  the 
voting,  the  electors  of  San  Miguel,  who  had  con- 
fessed the  evening  before,  received  the  sacrament 
very  early  before  setting  out  on  what  the  priest 
compared  to  a  new  crusade.  At  the  front  went 
the  gamonal,  who,  during  the  whole  trip,  did  not 
cease  to  admonish  them  to  follow  faithfully  the 
instructions  which  the  priest  had  given  them. 
Everybody  proclaimed  his  obedience  with  much 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  177 

warmth,  but  on  arriving  at  the  capital,  each  hav- 
ing in  his  pocket  the  neatly  folded  list  which  had 
just  been  given  him  at  the  central  club  of  the 
league,  their  firmness  had  to  withstand  a  rude 
assault.  Gathered  there  were  all  the  most  influ- 
ential men  of  the  nationalist  and  progressist 
parties  working  together  for  one  and  the  same 
ticket  which  was  opj^osed  to  that  of  the  clergy. 
The  countryman  looked  with  stupefaction  at  the 
intimate  union  of  men,  who,  two  years  before, 
had  been  desirous  of  killing  each  other  and  had 
called  one  another  bandits  and  scoundrels  in  the 
newspapers,  in  the  clubs  and  in  public  places. 

Well  did  Toribio  Cascante  say  that  the  people 
who  wore  frock  coats*  were  all  the  same  kind  of 
monkeys  with  different  tails.  There  was  one  mo- 
ment when  the  gamonal  himself  felt  that  he  was 
faltering,  and  that  was  when  Don  Simeon  and 
the  lawyer  Castrillo  tried  to  dissuade  him  from 
voting  for  the  league.  Don  Simeon  confabulat- 
ing with  the  masons!  What  was  the  world  com- 
ing to,  when  even  the  saints  were  turning  against 
God!  But  the  gamonal  was  too  religious  to  break 
a  promise  made  under  the  aus])ices  of  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  confession  and  tlic  mystery  of  the 
eucharist.  So  the  seductive  voice  of  Don  Simeon 
uttered  his  best  arguments  in  vain;  '5?or  Juan 
Alvarez  remained  firm  as  a  rock.  Cf)ntrary  to 
the  hope  of  the  clericals,  their  ticket  was  defeated 
throughout  almost  the  whole  country,  owing  to 
the  coalition  of    the  advanced    elements,  and  in 

•In  .Spanish  "Rcnfc  He  Icvit.i."  The  country  people  of  Costa  Rica 
thus   refer    to   the    upper   class. 


178  CUENTOS    TICOS 

great  part  also  to  the  numerous  desertions  from 
the  ranks  of  the  league  at  the  last  hour. 

Nevertheless  the  triumph  was  by  a  small  mar- 
gin and  the  clerical  propaganda  continued  more 
active  and  powerful  than  ever,  aided  by  the  dis- 
cords of  the  liberals,  who  broke  forth  into  dis- 
sentions  again  at  the  very  time  of  their  victory, 
forgetting  the  famous  motto :  "In  union  there  is 
strength."  The  league,  concealing  its  rancor, 
offered  its  aid  to  the  weak  and  wavering  admin- 
istration, which,  making  certain  concessions, 
hastened  to  accept  it.  This  state  of  affairs,  how- 
ever, could  not  last  long,  because  the  league  felt 
itself  sufficiently  vigorous  to  get  on  alone  and 
repulsed  the  idea  of  adopting  a  political  head 
which  was  not  selected  freely  by  itself  from 
among  the  most  docile  and  inane.  Of  the  four- 
teen progressists  of  San  Miguel,  some  had  joined 
the  league.  The  rest  did  not  know  which  of 
the  liberal  candidates  to  choose,  because  the  lat- 
ter, not  to  go  back  on  their  custom,  were  at  log- 
gerheads. Therefore  when  the  elections  came 
the  triumph  of  the  clerical  party  there,  as  well  as 
in  all  the  rest  of  the  country,  was  astonishing. 
The  gamonal  rubbed  his  hands  together  with 
pleasure,  thinking  that  this  time,  with  the  coming 
into  power  of  his  friends,  who  had  promised  to 
aid  him,  he  was  going  to  get  out  of  debt.  The 
priest  could  scarcely  contain  himself  in  his  skin, 
considering  as  good  as  abolished  all  those  hateful 
laws  made  by  those  demons  of  liberals;  the  secu- 
larization of    cemeteries,   laical    education,   civil 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  lOI 

marriage  and  so  on;  but  above  all  he  rejoiced  in 
the  blessed  re-establishment  of  the  tithes,  offer- 
ings of  first-fruits  and  other  sinecures,  although 
he  thought  it  more  prudent  to  say  nothing  to 
his  parishioners  on  this  point.  But  the  illusions 
of  the  members  of  the  league  were  not  to  last 
long.  In  the  midst  of  their  rejoicing  they  forgot 
that  in  the  admirable  hand  which  they  held  there 
was  one  card  lacking.  Their  adversaries,  on  the 
other  hand,  had  only  one,  but  that  was  the  best, 
or  the  worst,  as  you  prefer — the  trump  of 
swords.*  In  the  final  elections  the  league  was 
beaten,  or  more  correctly,  they  were  told  that 
they  were  beaten,  so  that  their  fusion  with  those 
who  had  before  been  their  worst  enemies  profited 
them  nothing.  They  tried  to  rp-enact  the  famous 
farce  played  four  years  ago  by  the  national 
party.  Poor  Orthodox  League!  They  forgot 
that  the  progressists,  those  monsters  of  iniquity, 
who  after  all  were  only  sheep  in  wolves'  cloth- 
ing, tyrants  who  did  nof  shed  blood,  were  not 
now  in  power.  The  clericals  learned  on  this 
occasion,  with  some  detriment  to  tlieir  ribs,  that 
everything  varies  as  the  glass  through  which  one 
looks.  The  cavalry  took  charge  of  gathering 
in  the  excited  countrymen  who  wore  trying 
to  remember  those  patriotic  songs  aliout  the  re- 
stfjred  sovereignty  of  the  people,  of  the  breaking 
of  the  chains  of  twenty  years  of  dictatorship, 
and  others  not  less  pretty,   forgetting  that   it  is 

*Th':rc  is  a  I'l.'iy  nn  words  hrrr  th.it  cannot  be  translated  into 
Knglish.  In  a  .Spanish  pack  of  cards  the  suit,  corresponding  to 
spades,    is    called    "Kspadas"    or    "Swords." 


1 82  CUENTOS    TICOS 

quite  another  thing-  when  sung  with  the  guitar. 
Evaristo,  'Nor  Juan,  the  priest,  and  some  more 
from  San  Miguel,  went  to  take  up  their  abode  in 
the  various  prisons  in  which  some  nationalists  of 
last  year  acted  as  hosts  to  their  former  fellow 
partisans,  doubtless  to  recompense  them  for  hav- 
ing believed  in  their  promises.  The  women  were 
left  to  die,  as  is  natural,  thinking  of  their  hus- 
bands, fathers,  sons  and  brothers. 

In  the  house  of  'Nor  Juan  the  affliction  was 
greater  than  ever,  because  the  usurer,  holder  of 
the  mortgage  which  hung  over  La  Lima,  had  just 
commenced  suit  for  non-payment,  at  that  time  so 
full  of  distress  for  them.  By  the  gateway  of 
politics  all  the  misfortunes  of  that  peaceful  home 
had  entered.  A  week  passed  without  their  being 
able  to  learn  anythmg  of  the  prisoners.  The  wife 
and  daughters  of  the  gamonal  had  gone  twice  to 
San  Jose,  in  search  of  news,  but  all  their  efforts 
had  been  in  vain,  and  they  had  had  to  return 
more  disheartened  than. ever,  after  having  looked 
at  the  silent  walls  of  the  different  prisons,  for  they 
did  not  even  know  in  which  of  them  the  two  men 
were.  Alarming  rumors  concerning  the  prison- 
ers were  rife  among  the  people  and  the  poor 
women  were  in  despair  when  they  heard  them. 
Toribio  Cascante  advised  them  to  ask  the  jefe 
politico  to  use  his  influence  in  favor  of  the  prison- 
ers, and  the  proprietor  of  La  Sirena,  who  was  a 
leading  man  in  the  new  party  which  had  just 
been  born  out  of  nothing,  promised  to  help  their 
petition  with  his  powerful  influence.     'f?a  Mer- 


'C:'^:''f'^ 


ilk' 


^. 


/  '^ 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 85 

cedes  went  very  humbly  to  see  the  official,  accom- 
panied by  her  daughter  Ester,  who  was  not  now 
the  rosebud  which  the  former  jefe  politico  had 
so  much  admired,  but  a  beautiful  flower  that  in- 
flamed the  desires  of  the  new  one.  The  poor 
old  woman  begged  in  tears  for  the  compassion 
of  the  man  who  was  able  to  return  her  husband 
and  son  to  her,  and  he,  without  promising  any- 
thing, said  that  he  would  see,  that  he  would  talk 
it  over,  but  that  the  thing  was  very  difficult,  inas- 
much as  both  father  and  son  were  much  involved 
in  that  terrible  attempt  against  law  and  order, 
which  it  had  been  necessary  to  drown  in  blood. 
As  the  women  were  leaving,  the  jefe  politico  took 
advantage  of  the  moment  when  'Na  Mercedes 
was  going  out  first,  to  say  to  Ester : 

"Come  back  alone  and  we  will  talk  about  it." 


Early  in  the  morning,  the  family  of  the 
gamonal  set  out  from  San  Miguel.  The  three 
women  and  the  youngest  child  of  the  widow  were 
riding  in  the  <jxcart  which  Evaristo  was  driving, 
with  his  goad  on  his  shoulder.  Behind  came 
Xnr  Juan  Alvarez  and  his  grandson  Jose,  on 
foot.  All  remained  silent,  oppressed  with  a  great 
sadness,  because  they  had  to  leave  that  well- 
beloved  village,  where  they  had  enjoyed  good 
fortune  and  plenty  for  so  many  years.  P)Ut  the 
usurer  had  been  implacable  and  the  auction  of 
Ea  Lima  had  taken  place.  Toribio  Cascante  had 
bought  it  for  a  third  of  its  value,  because  as  he 
said,  "Business  is  business." 


l86  CUENTOS    TICOS 

Deeply  affected  by  the  loss  of  his  beloved  coffee 
plantation,  the  gamonal  did  not  wish  to  keep  on 
living  in  San  Miguel,  although  he  still  had  his 
house  and  another  small  bit  of  land.  He  sold 
everything,  so  as  to  go  and  establish  himself  in  a 
distant  place  where  he  had  a  tract  of  uncultivated 
land  among  the  mountains.  When  he  passed  in 
front  of  La  Lima,  that  fine  coffee  plantation 
which  twenty  years  before  he  had  set  out  with 
his  own  hands,  a  tear  rolled  down  the  weather- 
beaten  cheeks  of  the  poor  old  man.  He  could 
scarcely  believe  that  that  fertile  land  was  no 
longer  his.  The  little  child  w^as  sleeping  in  the 
lap  of  its  mother.  Jose,  with  the  indifference  of 
childhood,  was  amusing  himself  with  the  inci- 
dents of  the  road,  making  the  dogs  bark  or 
throwing  pebbles  at  the  chickens  which  were- 
scratching  about.  At  the  top  of  the  hill  called 
Jocote  the  travellers  halted.  In  the  centre  of  the 
smiling  valley  which  lay  spread  out  at  their  feet 
could  be  seen  a  w'hite  dot, — it  was  the  church  of 
San  Miguel.  The  gamonal  contemplated  it  for  a 
long  time  with  deep  emotion,  and  after  a  while 
he  exclaimed  wnth  resignation : 

"God  be  praised  that  he  oppresses  but  does  not 
crush  entirely.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  jefe 
politico,  who  know^s  where  Evaristo  and  I  would 
be  now !  God  be  praised  that  he  so  orders  it  that 
there  are  still  good  souls  in  this  world." 

Ester,  who  had  heard  these  words,  sighed 
deeply.  She  alone  knew  w^hat  it  had  cost  that 
there  "might  still  be  good  souls  in  the  world." 


HIDALGUIA. 
(chivalry) 

OXE  night  in  the  month  of  July  four  horse- 
men, well  mounted,  emerged  from  an 
hacienda  in  Uruca*  and  rode  hurriedly 
along  the  highway  to  the  joining  of  the  road  to 
San  Antonio  de  Belen,  where  they  stopped. 

"Here  we  must  sq^arate,"  said  one  of  them. 
"May  you  have  good  luck,  Ramon,"  he  added 
searching  in  the  darkness  for  his  friend's  hand. 

"Adios,  Salvador,  adios."  rc])lied  the  one 
spoken  to,  in  a  voice  trembling  with  emotion.  The 
two  men,  without  letting  go  of  each  other's 
hands,  drew  together  until  their  stirrups  touched, 
and  embraced  warmly. 

"Adios,  adios" —     "Good  luck." 

After  a  last  embrace,  long  and  affectionate, 
lx)th  started  off  in  different  directions,  each  es- 
corted by  one  of  the  two  horsemen  who  had  just 
witnessed  the  sad  scene  of  farewell.  Those  who 
followed  the  highroad  did  not  get  very  far.  At 
the  Ciruclas  river  they  fell  into  the  hands  of  a 
picket  of  .soldiers  whn  carried  them  j^risoncrs  to 

*.\    rli-^trict    near    San    Jo»6. 

1H7 


lS8  CUENTOS    TICOS 

the  Cuartel  of  Alajiiela.  The  other  two  fugi- 
tives, for  fugitives  they  were,  -kept  on,  with  bet- 
ter fortune,  along  the  San  Antonio  road.*  The 
darkness  did  not  permit  them  to  see  where  they 
were  going,  so  that  the  travellers  had  to  trust 
to  the  instinct  of  their  horses  to  avoid  the  bad 
places  or  to  get  out  of  them.  Luckily  it  did  not 
rain,  which  would  have  been  one  more  hindrance 
to  the  rapid  march  that  the  critical  situation  in 
which  Salvador  Moreno  found  himself  neces- 
sitated, for  he  was  being  eagerly  searched  for  on 
account  of  his  share  in  the  attack  made  the  night 
before  on  the  Cuartel  Principalf  in  San  Jose. 
The  revolutionary  uprising  had  failed  through 
the  fault  of  those  who  were  to  have  brought 
men  from  the  neighlwring  towns,  with  the  in- 
tention of  arming  them  when  the  Cuartel  had 
surrendered,  and  of  laying  siege  to  the  other 
ones. 

Not  one  of  them  appeared  at  the  critical  mo- 
ment, and  the  few  valiant  ones  who  had  surprised 
the  garrison  asleep  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, had  to  abandon  at  daybreak  the  conquest 
which  had  cost  them  so  much  blood. 

Salvador  did  not  answer  the  questions  which 
from  time  to  time  his  companion  asked  him. 
Absorbed  in  his  thoughts  he  lived  over  again  the 
happenings  of  last  night's  bloody  drama;  the 
meeting  in  the  house  of  one  of  the  conspirators, 
the  irritating  wait  for  those  who  did  not  come, 

•This  road  which   is  little  travelled,   rejoins  the  main  highway   to 
Puntarenas  near  the   Rio  Grande. 
tHeadquarters    barracks. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 89 

the  fear  of  a  betrayal,  the  doubts  and  hestitations 
of  the  last  hour,  finally  the  moment  of  march- 
ing, the  gate  of  the  Cuartel  opened  by  the  hand 
of  a  traitor,  the  hand  to  hand  fight  with  the 
guard,  the  gallantry  of  the  officers  meeting  death 
at  their  posts.  But  more  than  all  there  harassed 
him  the  vision  of  a  young  lieutenant  running  up 
hurriedly,  sabre  in  hand,  to  aid  his  comrades, 
whom  he  had  laid  low  by  a  shot  at  barely  arm's 
length  range.  In  vain  he  tried  to  make  himself 
believe  that  it  was  a  legitimate  act  of  warfare. 
An  internal  voice  cried  out  in  the  tribunal  of  his 
conscience  against  the  blood  that  had  been  shed. 
Salvador  Moreno  w^as  a  high-strung,  refined  man 
to  whom  the  brutality  of  force  was  repugnant. 
At  the  same  time  his  indomitable  and  lofty  spirit 
could  not  bend  itself  to  the  political  despotism 
which  is  killing  us  like  a  shameful  chronic  sore. 
In  the  conspiracy  he  had  seen  the  shaking  off  of 
the  heavy  yoke,  the  dignity  of  his  country 
avenged,  and  the  trium])h  of  liberty.  To  gain 
all  that,  the  sacrifice  of  his  life  had  not  seemed 
too  much.  Now  his  sorrow  w'as  very  great,  his 
patrif)tic  illusions  had  disappeared  like  the 
visions  of  a  beautiful  dream  when  one  awakens, 
and  his  heart  was  throbliing  with  wrath  against 
those  who  through  their  cowardice  had  caused 
the  daring  attempt  to  fail.  With  keen  regret  he 
thought  f)f  his  comrades  uselessly  sacrificed,  of 
the  agony  of  a  brave  young  fellow  whom  he 
had  carriefl  out  of  the  cuartel  in  his  arms,  mor- 
tallv  wounded.     Clear  and  exact  the  events  of  the 


190  CUENTOS    TICOS 

combat  went  marching  through  his  mind,  some 
of  which  were  atrocious,  worthy  of  savages, 
others  irresistibly  comical,  like  that  of  the  boast- 
ful fellow  who  withdrew  from  the  gate  of  the 
cuartel  to  go  in  search  of  his  revolver  which  he 
pretended  to  have  forgotten;  and  always,  per- 
sistent and  sad,  the  vision  of  the  lieutenant 
falling  without  a  cry,  his  hand  at  his  breast. 
Afterwards  the  despair  at  the  failure,  the  retreat 
at  daybreak  through  the  deserted  streets  of  the 
capital,  the  interminable  hours  of  anguish,  hid- 
den with  Ramon  Solares  under  some  sacks  in 
the  country  house  of  a  friend,  listening  to  the 
voices  of  those  who  were  searching  for  them. 
Finally  the  sheltering  night,  the  hurried  flight, 
the  gloomy  future,  forbidding  as  the  wrath  of  the 
enraged  dictator.  In  order  to  aid  their  escape 
the  fugitives  had  agreed  to  follow  different 
roads;  Salvador  Moreno  chose  the  one  to  Pun- 
tarenas,*  passing  through  San  Antonio  de  Belen, 
and  the  plains  of  Carmen.  Ramon  Solares  pre- 
ferred the  San  Carlosf  route,  with  the  idea  of 
seeking  refuge  in  Nicaragua  by  land,  where  the 
two  friends  were  to  meet  if  Salvador  should  suc- 
ceed in  escaping  the  vigilance  of  the  authorities 
of  the  port. 

Both  were  accompanied  by  trusty  retainers 
who  knew  the  country  and  were  of  proved  cour- 
age. It  was  Fate  that  decided  in  this  case,  and 
we  have  already  seen  that  she  declared  in  favor 

*The  port   on   the   Pacific   Coast  of  Costa    Rica. 

tA   river  in   the  northern   part   of   Costa   Rica  flowing  into  the   San 
Juan. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I93 

of  Salvador  Moreno,  who  without  meeting  a 
soul,  arrived  at  the  highroad  to  Puntarenas  at 
one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  while  his  friend, 
chained  in  his  prison,  offered  prayers  that  he 
might  succeed  in  escaping  from  those  who  pur- 
sued him.  At  three  o'clock  he  passed  through 
Atenas  and  at  six  in  the  morning  he  and  his 
companion  arrived  at  the  gates  of  San  Mateo,* 
but  now  the  horses  could  endure  no  more.  It  was 
part  of  the  fugitive's  plan  to  pass  the  day  hidden 
in  a  friendly  and  secure  house  on  the  plains  of 
Surubres,  although  now  this  was  not  possible, 
on  account  of  the  fatigue  of  the  horses  and  the 
danger  of  the  young  conspirator's  being  recog- 
nized in  passing  through  the  village,  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  he  was  wearing  the  costume  of  a 
countryman. f  It  was  necessary  then  to  decide 
on  something. 

"Don  Salvador,"  said  the  guide,  "three  hun- 
dred yards  from  here  there  lives  an  acquaintance 
of  mine,  who  is  a  man  you  can  trust.  If  you  like 
we  can  dismount  there,  so  that  we  shan't  have  to 
pass  through   San    Mateo  in   the  daytime." 

"Very  well,  let  us  go  there." 

The  two  men  spurred  their  horses  and  a  few 
minutes  afterwards  arrixed  at  a  luaise  situated 
a  short  distance  from  the  road.  Through  the 
unbarred  gate  they  entered,  saluted  by  the  bark- 
ing of  three  thin,  mangy  dogs.     At  this  di^-tiirl) 

•Between  Atenas  and  San  Mateo  the  highroad  crosses  .1  range 
of   mountains. 

tin  Costa  Rica  the  country  people  wear  a  costume  quite  flitfcrcnt 
ftom  that  of  the  upper  class.  The  men  wear  "^hort  r'uindnhnut 
i.nckets  and  colored  sashes  about  the  waist  to  support  the  panta- 
loons. 


194 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


ance  an  old  and  corpulent  countryman  came  out 
on  the  veranda. 

"Buenos  dias,  'Nor  Jose,"  said  the  guide. 

"Buenos   dias,    Pedro,"    replied   the  old   man. 


'How  goes  it?" 


'Mit  -Vi. 


m 

3r--  ■<*« 


ON   THE   OLD    HIGHWAY   TO   PUNTARENAS 


"Well;  and  how  are  you?  How  are  the  girls 
getting  on?" 

"Very  well,  thank  you.  Why  don't  you  get  ofif 
a  while  and  rest?"  added  the  old  fellow. 

The  horsemen  dismounted  and  Salvador 
dropped,   half  dead   with   fatigue,   on  the   settle 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  1 95 

that  stood  on  the  veranda.  While  he  was  stretch- 
ing his  aching  legs,  'Nor  Jose  and  Pedro  unsad- 
dled the  horses  and  the  latter  confided  to  the  old 
man  that  his  companion  was  fleeing  the  country. 
Hurriedly  he  told  him  a  story  which  he  made  up 
as  he  went  on;  something  about  a  quarrel  in 
which  machetes  had  been  flourished  in  the  air. 
The  old  man  did  not  insist  on  the  details,  prom- 
ising to  keep  quiet  about  the  unlooked  for  guests 
in  his  house. 

Pedro  went  to  take  the  horses  to  the  pasture 
and  Salvador  accepted  with  pleasure  the  coffee 
which  the  youngest  daughter  of  'Nor  Jose  served 
him.  The  old  man  was  proud  of  having  for  a 
son-in-law  the  jefe  politico*  of  San  Mateo,  who 
had  married  his  oldest  daughter,  a  handsome 
girl,  so  people  said.  Noticing  that  his  guest  was 
getting  sleei)y  he  conducted  him  to  a  cot  bed 
that  he  might  rest. 

Five  minutes  afterwards  the  fugitive  was 
sleeping  like  a  log.  The  night  came  on  without 
Salvador's  awakening  from  the  deep  slumber  into 
which  he  had  fallen,  his  bones  aching  and  his 
nerves  being  unstrung  by  the  fatigue  and  emo- 
tions he  bad  endured. 

Pedro  had  improved  the  time  by  bathing  the 
horses  in  the  neighl)oring  river  and  giving  them 
a  good  feed  of  corn.  This  task  ended,  he  took 
a  nap  for  a  couple  oi  hours,  which  was  sufficient 
to  restore  to  his  muscles  the  necessary  energy; 

•The  chief  official  of  a  town  in  Spanish  America,  similar  to  the 
office    of    mayor    in    the    United    States. 


196  CUENTOS    TICOS 

and  as  it  was  now  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
he  shared  the  frugal  dinner  of  his  host. 

On  hearing  the  church  bells  of  San  Mateo 
tolling  "Las  Animas"  he  resolved  to  awaken  Sal- 
vador, which  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  do.  For 
all  that  he  shook  him,  it  was  impossible  to  over- 
come the  stupor  which  held  him  fast.  Finally  he 
opened  his  eyes,  looking  about  in  a  dazed  way 
without  comprehending,  until  Pedro's  voice  in- 
sisting on  the  urgency  of  taking  the  road  made 
him  remember  the  reality  of  the  situation.  Sal- 
vador got  up  with  difficulty;  each  movement  that 
he  made  aroused  a  dormant  pain  in  his  body, 
which  was  agitated  by  a  painful,  feverish  sensa- 
tion. A  little  glass  of  cognac  produced  the  nec- 
essary reaction  and  the  odor  of  supper  already 
served  began  to  remind  him  that  he  had  been 
fasting  for  many  hours. 

While  Salvador  was  devouring  a  chicken, 
which  at  Pedro's  request  the  daughter  of  'Ror 
Jose  had  cooked,  the  latter,  seated  on  a  bench, 
observed  him  closely.  Naturally  keen,  he  had 
scented  the  fact  that  beneath  the  short  jacket  was 
hidden  a  person  who  was  not  accustomed  to  wear 
it.  The  attentiveness  of  Pedro  to  Salvador,  the 
respect  with  which  he  talked  to  him,  were  indica- 
tions that  this  man  belonged  to  a  higher  class  of 
society  than  his  garb  would  imply.  This  was 
evident;  but  looking  w^ell  at  the  matter,  what 
difference  did  it  make  to  him  that  the  stranger 
was  who  he  was?  A  five  dollar  bill  which  Sal- 
vador put  in  his  hand,  completely  confirmed  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I97 

old  man's  suspicions.  In  a  little  while  Pedro 
entered  to  give  notice  that  the  horses  were  ready 
and  Salvador,  in  bidding  farewell,  warmly 
squeezed  the  hand  of  his  chance  host,  who  almost 
fell  over  himself  in  his  salutations  and  wishes  for 
a  safe  journey.  They  were  already  going  out 
to  the  veranda,  when  a  boy  came  running  up 
with  the  news  that  'Nor  Jose's  oldest  daughter 
was  very  ill.  About  to  give  birth  to  a  child 
she  had  suffered  a  fall  with  bad  conse- 
quences. 

The  old  man  was  very  much  alarmed  and  Sal- 
vador tried  to  calm  him,  advising  him  to  call  a 
doctor. 

"We  have  no  doctor  here,"  replied  'f^or  Jose, 
much  distressed,  "and  while  one  is  coming  from 
Alajuela  the  girl  may  die." 

Salvador,  who  was  a  warm-hearted  fellow,  did 
not  hesitate  a  moment. 

"Let  us  go  and  see  her,"  he  said.  "I  am  a 
doctor." 

The  old  man.  surprised  and  pleased,  did  n(jt 
know  what  to  say. 

"May  Gf)d  pay  you,  senor,  may  God  pay 
you!"  he  finally  miu'inurcfl  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 
Pedro,  plainly  anxious,  impro\-c'd  ihe  mnniciU 
when  the  countryman  went  tf)  get  his  hat  and 
call  his  daughter,  to  whisper  in  Salvador's  ear 
that  the  sick  woman  was  no  less  than  the  wife  of 
the  jefe  politico,  who  must  already  ha\e  had  or- 
ders to  capture  him. 

"No    matter,    Pedro.      It    is    mv   dutv    not    to 


198  CUENTOS    TICOS 

allow  this  poor  woman  to  die.  Let  us  go  at 
once." 

The  old  man,  who  returned  hurriedly,  heard 
these  last  words.  "May  God  pay  you,  senor,"  he 
said  again  in  a  low  voice.  Pedro  took  the  old 
man  behind  him  on  the  crupper  and  Salvador  the 
girl.  After  fifteen  minutes  of  fast  riding,  the 
four  stopped  in  front  of  the  jefe  politico's  office. 

The  house  was  full  of  gossipers  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, who  had  come  in  armed  with  infallible 
remedies  which  they  were  anxious  to  apply  to 
the  sufferer.  The  friends  of  the  jefe  politico, 
gathered  together  in  the  dining-room  about  a 
bottle  of  white  rum,  told  discreetly,  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  official,  of  similar  cases  which  finally 
had  ended  happily. 

The  arrival  of  her  father  and  sister  called 
forth  a  groan  from  the  sick  one,  who  in  her  role 
of  a  first-time  mother  considered  herself  as  good 
as  dead. 

"Enter,  enter,  doctor !"  exclaimed  the  old  man, 
politely  addressing  the  fugitive,  whom  nobody 
in  the  midst  of  the  general  confusion  had  as  yet 
noticed.  Judgnng  by  his  costume,  those  present 
took  him  for  one  of  those  country  quacks  who 
live  on  the  ignorance  and  avarice  of  the  country 
people.  Salvador  examined  the  sick  woman  care- 
fully and  was  convinced  that,  although  the  case 
was  a  serious  one,  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  save 
her.  Without  loss  of  time  he  took  such  measures 
as  the  circumstances  demanded,  and  from  that 
moment  he  thought  onlv  of  the  life  of  the  little 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  I99 

human  creature  which  depended  on  his  care.  In 
vain  Pedro  reminded  him  many  times  of  the 
great  peril  he  was  incurring  in  that  house;  noth- 
ing could  make  him  withdraw. 

'Nor  Jose  and  the  jefe  politico,  feeling  more 
at  ease  after  hearing  the  doctor's  opinion,  went 
to  join  the  circle  of  friends,  who  had  already 
given  a  good  account  of  the  first  bottle  of  rum. 
When  the  second  was  opened,  tongues  began  to 
get  loosened,  and  the  conversation  acquired  an 
animation  which  it  lacked  at  the  beginning. 

Incidentally  they  talked  of  the  revolution 
which  had  just  taken  place  and  '5Jor  Jose,  who, 
on  account  of  the  isolation  in  which  he  lived,  was 
ignorant  of  it  all,  made  them  tell  him  of  what 
had  happened,  listening  to  the  story  with  anxiety. 
On  learning  that  it  was  the  Cuartel  Principal 
which  had  been  attacked,  he  asked  his  son-in-law 
whether  he  had  news  of  Rafael,  his  son,  who 
was  one  of  the  garrison. 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  him."  replied 
the  jefe  politico.  "I  suppose  that  there  is  no 
news  since  they  have  not  sent  me  any  word. 
Nevertheless  in  order  to  feel  easy  I  am  going  to 
telegraph  to  .San  Jose." 

When  the  despatch  was  written  it  was  sent  to 
the  telegraph  office. 

Salvador  did  not  leave  his  patient,  encouraging 
her  with  cheering  words  to  j)car  her  pains  with 
fortitude.  Pedro,  ill  at  ease,  was  watching  the 
street,  near  the  horses  which  were  dozing  with 
their  heads  low  down. 


200  CUENTOS    TICOS 

At  ten  o'clock  at  night  a  long  telegram  came 
for  the  jefe  I'olitico.  As  he  was  reading  it  his 
hands  tremhlcd  slightly.  Suddenly  a  violent 
exclamation  broke  from  his  lips. 

On  hearing  it,  the  people  present  got  up  as 
though  to  ask  the  cause,  but  the  jefe  politico 
without  speaking  a  word  conducted  his  father-in- 
law  to  a  neighboring  room.  There,  without  any 
preamble,  he  told  him  that  his  son  had  been 
killed  in  the  attack  of  the  night  before,  and  that 
Doctor  Salvador  Moreno  was  supposed  to  have 
been  his  slayer,  and  that  he  was  then  trying  to 
escape  from  the  country. 

The  poor  old  man,  falling  limp  into  a  chair, 
wept  bitterly  over  the  death  of  his  son.  After 
a  while  he  aroused  himself  with  an  expression 
of  unspeakable  wrath  and  the  tears  dried  up  in 
his  eyes,  which  now  shone  like  red-hot  coals. 
"Salvador  Moreno,"  he  murmured  in  a  hoarse 
voice,  "I  won't  forget  that  name." 

"I  have  heard  it,"  said  the  jefe  politico.  "I 
believe  it  is  that  of  a  young  doctor  recently  come 
back  from  Europe." 

One  of  the  women  neighbors  interrupted  the 
conversation  with  the  glad  news  of  the  birth  of  a 
strong  and  healthy  man-child.  Both  were  going 
in  to  see  it,  but  it  was  not  yet  time  for  them  to 
enter. 

Pedro,  always  uneasy,  had  hardly  heard  the 
news  when  he  went  in  search  of  'Nor  Jose  to  ask 
him  to  remind  his  companion  of  the  urgency  of 
starting. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  20I 

"Tell  Don  Salvador  that  it  is  already  very 
late  and  that  I  am  waiting  for  him,"  he  said  for- 
getting to  use  the  assumed  name.  On  hearing 
this  name  the  old  man  became  petrified.  Then 
he  exclaimed  with  fury, 

"Don  Salvador !  Don  Salvador  Moreno ! 
That  is  the  doctor's  name,  isn't  it  so?" 

"Yes.    Did  he  tell  you?" 

Without  replying,  'Nor  Jose  went  to  a  corner 
of  the  room  where  a  machete  was  leaning  against 
the  wall.  He  drew  it  from  its  scabbard  and  with 
an  expression  of  unheard-of  ferocity,  went 
toward  the  apartment  of  his  daughter. 

At  that  moment  the  door  opened.  Upon  the 
bed  lay  the  mother,  very  pale,  but  her  eyes  and 
lips  were  smiling.  With  his  sleeves  rolled  up 
and  absorbed  in  his  task,  Salvador  was  bathing 
the  new  born  child  in  a  wash  basin.  On  seeing 
this  the  angry  father  felt  a  surge  of  generous 
feeling  invade  his  heart.  That  man  was  the 
slayer  of  his  Rafael;  that  was  the  terrible  truth; 
but  that  same  man  who  had  shed  the  blood  of 
his  son  had  just  saved  another  bit  of  his  soul 
at  the  risk  of  his  liberty  and  i)crhai)s  of  his  very 
life.  He  stood  lr)oking  at  the  peaceful  scene;  the 
happy  mother,  the  anxious  anrl  busy  neighbors, 
and  the  doctor,  very  earnest,  coddling  the  child, 
whose  cries  seemed  t(j  ask  pardon  for  the  saviour 
if  its  mother. 

The  old  man  drew  back  slowly,  letting  go  of 
the  machete.  After  a  moment  r)f  hesitation,  he 
])assed  his  rough  hand  across  his  face  and  draw- 


202  CUENTOS    TICOS 

ing  near  to  the   fugitive  said  in  a  hoarse  and 
trembhng  voice, 

"Don  Salvador,  I  beg  you  to  go  soon,  because 
you  are  in  great  danger  in  this  house." 


LA  BOTIJA. 
(the  buried  treasure.) 

DURING  forty-five  years  of  labor  and 
privations,  'Ror  Ciriaco  Badilla  had 
amassed  a  fortune,  the  value  of  which  he 
himself  did  not  know,  but  which  according  to 
appearances  was  of  more  than  ordinary  size.  He 
was  known  to  have  much  real  property,  coffee 
plantations,  pastures,  lands  sown  with  various 
crops,  many  cattle;  and  it  was  known  that  he 
always  had  considerable  money  on  deposit  in  the 
bank,  in  addition  to  the  gold,  which  according 
to  common  report  he  kept  carefully  buried.  He 
was  also  in  the  habit  of  lending  money  upon 
mortgages,  with  two  sureties,  and  for  the  moder- 
ate interest  of  two  per  cent  a  month. 

*5Jor  Ciriaco  was  a  model  for  peasants.  Out 
of  bed  bcff)rc  sunrise,  he  went  to  his  rude  tasks 
with  untiring  ])aticncc.  until  night  in  summer,  or 
the  rain  in  winter*  cnnipfllcd  liiiii  In  a  rest  rarely 
taken  with  pleasure. 

From   a   little  child   he  had   lived   this   bovine 

•In  Costa  Rica  the  Hry  season  is  called  summer,  and  the  rainy 
>?n9on  winter.  HiirinK  the  latter,  the  rain  usually  commeuLcs 
ts   about   two   in   the   afternoon. 

203 


204  CUENTOS    TICOS 

existence,  with  the  single  desire  of  acquiring 
wealth,  and  it  can  be  positively  stated  that  during 
half  a  century  of  his  life  he  had  had  no  other 
pleasure  than  that  of  having  and  not  spending, 
a  rare  pleasure  which  only  misers  know  how  to 
appreciate.  Although  rich  he  lived  like  a  beg- 
gar, want  reigned  in  his  house  and  the  evil 
tongues  even  said  that  when  'Nor  Ciriaco  went 
to  places  where  he  was  not  known  he  begged  for 
public  charity  with  a  pitiful  voice.  This  was 
not  at  all  improbable,  because  he  was  not  the  man 
to  recoil  at  the  opportunity  to  pocket  a  five-cent 
piece.  Moreover,  his  body,  emaciated  by  so 
many  unsatisfied  cravings,  and  his  unkempt  as- 
pect, were  calculated  to  excite  compassion.  He  ^ 
could  be  seen  in  most  lamentable  attire,  riding 
about  the  country,  spurring  pitilessly  a  consump- 
tive mare  and  mounted  on  a  saddle  of  the  time 
of  the  conquest,  with  the  calves  of  his  legs  bare 
and  his  pantaloons  rolled  up  to  save  them  from 
the  friction  of  the  stirrup  leathers.  And  when 
any  one,  surprised,  asked  him  the  reason  for  such 
a  strange  manner  of  riding,  he  would  reply  sen- 
tentiously :  "Because  the  skin  gets  well  and  the 
cloth  doesn't."  This  w^as  one  of  his  favorite 
aphorisms,  which  rivalled  that  other,  also  his, — 
"It  is  better  to  have  a  full  pocket  than  a  full 
stomach." 

Xevertheless,  no  matter  how  great  the  repel- 
lent avarice  of  'Ror  Ciriaco  might  be,  compared 
with  that  of  his  wife  it  might  almost  be  called 
generosity.     To  tell   of  the  prodigies  of  parsi- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  205 

mony  which  she  daily  accompHshed  is  Httle  less 
than  impossible  for  one  who  is  ignorant  of  the 
science  of  depriving  one's  self  of  the  most  neces- 
sary things  when  he  has  them  in  abundance. 
She  sold  the  milk  of  the  cows,  the  eggs  of  the 
hens,  the  young  chickens,  the  garden  stuff,  the 
fruits,  everything  there  was  in  the  house  even 
to  the  plantains,  the  foundation  of  the  most  fru- 
gal fare  of  the  family.  Still  as  after  all  it  was 
necessary  to  eat  something,  'Nor  Ciriaco,  with 
that  scant  respect  with  which  the  property  of 
those  who  live  in  the  cities,  those  detested  frock 
coat  people,  inspires  the  country  folk,  took  upon 
himself  the  easing  of  plantain  trees  of  their  fruit 
in  a  neighboring  hacienda,  which  belonged  to 
some  rich  gentleman.  Nor  were  his  pilferings 
limited  to  this  alone;  he  used  often  to  return 
l)roudly  with  his  saddle  bags  full  of  aguacates,* 
mangos  and  anonas.f  which  he  approi)riated 
without  any  remorse  ever  troubling  the  Octavian 
])eace  of  his  conscience, — quite  the  contrary, 
since  "to  rob  a  rich  man  is  to  take  away  his 
troubles,"  and  for  the  countryman  every  one 
that  wears  a  frock  coat  is  rich. 

Such  great  miserliness  had.  however,  one  ex- 
ception. The  wife  of  '5Jor  Ciriaco  showed  her- 
self very  lavish  in  one  resj^ect,  and  that  was  in 
the  numerous  ])rogeny  she  bore  him.  This 
abundance  of  little  brats,  however,  did  not  flis- 
l)lcase  the  miser;  be  looked  rather  on  the  birth 
of  each  new  son  with  a  satisfaction  almost  c(|ual 

".Mlii?.ifor   pears. 
fCu-Hlartl    apple'.. 


206  CUENTOS    TICOS 

to  that  which  the  liirth  of  a  calf  or  any  other 
profitable  animal  gave  him.  The  little  ones  were 
hardly  able  to  walk  when  he  put  them  to  sweat 
over  a  thousand  tasks  beyond  their  strength,  and 
began  to  train  them  in  his  customary  pilferings. 
This  was  not  difficult  considering  the  admirable 
disposition  which  his  disciples  showed,  who  could 
soon  give  their  teacher  points  in  the  rustic  arts 
of  making  an  opening  in  a  neighbor's  fence  or 
purloining  some  succulent  fruit.  All  of  them 
gave  promise  of  being  worthy  scions  of  the 
thrifty  family  of  the  Badillas,  forming  an  excep- 
tion to  the  proverb  which  says :  "After  a  frugal 
father  comes  a  spendthrift  son." 

The  existence  of  'Nor  Ciriaco  and  his  family 
differed  little  from  that  of  the  animals  about 
them.  They  had  no  dealings  or  friendships  with 
anybody,  because  these  in  the  long  run  cause 
responsibilities,  and  these  they  were  always  care- 
ful to  avoid.  In  their  metallic  hearts  there  was  no 
room  for  any  human  sentiment  but  the  lust  for 
gold  and  the  most  supreme  selfishness.  Thus 
they  lived  isolated  like  pariahs  and  loathed  by 
everybody. 

A  sad  happening  interrupted  the  dreary 
monotony  of  the  miserable  life  of  the  misers. 
The  mother  died  in  three  days,  of  a  singular  and 
acute  malady.  The  avaricious  man  felt  the  loss 
of  his  wife  in  the  only  way  that  he  could  feel  it, 
that  is,  from  the  utilitarian  point  of  view.  He 
wept  bitterly  over  her,  just  as  he  would  have  done 
if  his  famous  yoke  of  yellow  oxen  which  were 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  20/ 

worth  fifteen  onzas*  had  died ;  and  when  he 
began  to  meditate  on  the  difficuUy  of  replacing 
her  his  grief  was  even  greater,  because  women 
Hke  the  deceased  were  not  to  be  found  in  cart- 
loads. 

He  had  been  clearly  aware  of  that  when  he 
picked  her  out,  with  that  trained  glance  which 
had  never  deceived  him  in  the  selection  of  a 
strong  and  healthy  animal.  For  all  that  she  was 
so  ugly  and,  according  to  gossip,  of  doubtful 
morals,  he  preferred  her  to  others  who  were 
handsomer  because  they  did  not  have  the 
strength  of  limbs  or  arms  nor  tliat  inextin- 
guishable ardor  for  work  which  aroused  for  her 
the  admiration  of  the  miser;  for  there  never  was 
a  task  no  matter  how  hard  which  could  terrify 
her;  she  was  what  one  might  call  a  veritable 
beast  of  burden.  To  complete  her  perfections  she 
had  a  constitution  of  iron;  but  when  she  finally 
fell  sick,  for  the  first  time  in  the  thirty  years  of 
her  married  life,  it  was  fatal.  One  day  she  could 
not  get  up,  o\ercome  at  the  very  beginning  by 
the  violence  of  her  sickness.  On  seeing  her  in 
such  an  alarming  condition,  her  youngest  daugh- 
ter, pitying  her.  proposed  calling  a  doctor,  but 
the  sick  woman  was  the  first  to  protest  against 
such  an  extravagance.  "He  will  charge  too 
much,  it  is  better  to  call  in  'IVa  Pastnra." 

'5ia  Pastora  came,  a  species  of  country  rpiack 
and  sometimes  a  witch,  who  diagnosed  the  case 

*A   (fold    coin   of   Costa    Kiel,    now   little   used,    worth    about   seven- 
teen   coloncs,    or    eight     dollars    in    American    gr>ld. 


208  CUENTOS    TICOS 

as    spasms    in    the    veins,  a    mortal    sickness,  it 
would  seem. 


After  the  deceased  was  buried  and  the  regular 
nine  days  of  mourning,  which  was  all  that  one 
could  expect  from  such  a  niggardly  family,  were 
passed,  and  when  the  priest  had  been  paid  for  the 
masses  of  San  Gregorio,  with  much  pain  to  'Nor 
Ciriaco  who  found  this  passport  to  heaven  very 
costly,  things  returned  to  their  normal  condition 
and  continued  so  for  some  months.  But  sud- 
denly, almost  in  a  night,  there  came  an  extraor- 
dinary change  in  the  miser.  His  family  began 
to  note  with  surprise  that  now  he  did  not  roll  up 
his  pantaloons  when  he  rode  horseback,  and  their 
surprise  changed  to  amazement  when  they  saw 
him  return  one  afternoon  with  a  bundle  of  new 
clothes.  The  week  following,  'Ror  Ciriaco  com- 
pletely scandalized  his  family  by  buying  a  fine 
Panama  hat  and  a  silk  sash;  yet  even  this  was 
nothing  compared  to  the  purchase  of  a  sorrel 
horse  and  a  new  saddle,  which  capped  the  climax 
of  the  indignation  seething  in  the  souls  of  the 
Badilla  heirs  on  seeing  how  the  extravagance  of 
their  father  was  growing.  Such  a  singular 
change  in  the  habits  of  'Nor  Ciriaco  had  to  have 
a  cause,  and  in  fact  there  was  one.  A  sagacious 
observer  could  have  noticed  a  strange  coincidence 
between  the  metamorphosis  of  the  miser  and  the 
arrival  in  the  village  of  a  pretty  and  lively  girl 
named    Filomena.      She   was   a    resident  of   the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2O9 

place,  although  she  had  passed  three  years  in  the 
citv  as  a  servant.  Now  she  had  returned,  very- 
lively  and  quick  witted,  armed  with  a  reper- 
toire of  those  vulg-ar  and  stupid  sayings  which 
are  current  in  barracks,  barber  shops  and 
factories. 

When  Filomena  went  out  for  an  airing  in  the 
village,  dressed  in  her  best  finery,  and  looking 
very  bewitching,  the  whole  neighborhood  was 
quite  stirred  up.  The  men,  incited  by  her  free 
and  easv  manner,  called  after  her  as  she  passed, 
rustic  bits  of  gallantry.  The  women,  in  contrast, 
looked  at  her  aggressively,  calling  her  between 
their  teeth  a  vagabond  and  a  street  walker. 
Conjugal  disturbances  caused  by  the  coquettish 
eyes  of  the  girl  were  not  long  in  coming,  and  the 
busy-bodies  were  already  talking  of  having  the 
priest  interfere  in  the  matter,  when  the  news 
burst  on  them  like  a  bomb-shell  that  '5?or  Ciriaco 
Badilla  had  an  under.standing  with  her.  At  first 
nobody  wished  to  give  ear  to  such  startling 
news;  when,  however,  the  miser  appeared,  trans- 
formed into  a  gallant,  shaved,  clean,  and  even 
seeminglv  younger,  they  could  not  but  admit  the 
truth  I  if  the  rcp<>r1.  cs]  ccially  as  there  were  those 
who  affirmed  that  they  had  seen  him  come  out  of 
Filomena's  house  cpiite  late.  When  the  news 
was  confirmed.  '5sor  Ciriaco  soon  became  a 
choice  morsel  for  the  gossips,  and  nick-names 
were  showered  u|H)n  him;  but  if  most  people 
were  satisfied  with  ridiculing  and  laughing  at  his 
tardy  extravagances,  his  nine  heirs  were  as  angry 


2IO  CUENTOS    TICOS 

as  hornets  and  almost  burst  their  heads  in  seek- 
ing some  means  of  making  the  enamoured  old 
man  regain  his  senses. 

One  of  them,  who  was  quick  of  mind,  hit  upon 
the  idea  that  their  father  must  be  bewitched, 
because  only  on  this  ground  could  one  conceive 
of  a  person  of  his  age  and  character  indulging 
in  such  follies.  This  was  a  ray  of  light.  The 
thing  was  plain;  what  else  could  it  be?  '5lor 
Ciriaco  was  under  the  power  of  a  spell  prepared 
by  Filomena,  and  accordingly  it  was  necessary 
to  nullify  the  harmful  influence  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. To  effect  this,  the  wiseacre  of  the  family 
had  an  interview  with  "^a  Pastora,  who  speedily 
confirmed  the  supposition  of  enchantment,  and 
prescribed  for  it  some  yellow  powders  to  be 
mixed  in  the  coffee  of  the  bewitched  man  little 
by  little,  while  at  the  same  time  they  were  to  take 
the  precaution  of  saying  the  Lord's  Prayer  back- 
wards. That  very  afternoon,  'N'or  Ciriaco  took 
the  potion.  The  remedy  could  not,  however,  have 
been  efficacious,  for  the  old  man  became  more 
enamoured  than  ever  of  his  charming  Filomena. 
Nevertheless,  'Na  Pastora  was  too  wise  to  admit 
herself  l^eaten  at  the  very  start.  She  had  solemnly 
promised  to  break  the  spell,  and  as  she  was  well 
provided  with  wiles  and  tricks,  in  her  equipment 
as  a  witcli.  she  returned  to  the  charge  with  in- 
creased spirit.  Drawing  each  of  them  out  skil- 
fully, she  soon  learned  the  character  and  habits  of 
'5Jor  Ciriaco.  Among  other  peculiarities,  she 
learned  that  he  was  verv  timid  and  believed  liter- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  211 

ally  in  the  Cadejos,*  the  Cegua.f  the  Llorona.:}: 
and  other  popular  superstitions;  but  that  the  her- 
manos§  especially  caused  him  unspeakable  terror. 
With  this  data  it  was  very  easy  for  the  old 
woman  to  evolve  a  plan,  the  execution  of  which 
the  same  wiseacre  of  the  family,  whose  name  was 
Isidoro,  took  charge.  He  had  observed  that  his 
father,  when  he  returned  at  night  from  the  house 
(  f  Filomena.  came  across  a  neighboring  pasture 
in  which  was  a  guava  tree  by  the  foot  of  which 
the  path  ran.  There  was  no  better  place  in  which 
to  hide  and  give  the  (  Id  man  a  scare.  Isidoro 
listened  attentively  to  the  detailed  instructions 
of  the  old  woman,  and  received  with  some  mis- 
givings a  jicara,  or  tree  gourd,  one  of  those  used 
to  beat  chocolate  in,  which  she  delivered  to  him 
with  strange  incantations. 

As  SDfjn  as  nine  o'clock  sounded  on  the  clock 
of  the  village  church  he  went  to  the  pasture  and 
climbing  the  guava  tree  settled  himself  to  await 
the  return  of  his  father.  There  was  a  moon  that 
night,  but  the  sky  was  covered  with  clouds  and 
the  pale,  faint  light  of  the  luminary  gave  to  the 
outline  of  things  a  mysterious  vagueness  more 
fcar-insj)iring  even  than  absolute  darkness.  Isi- 
doro waited  for  the  old  man  U>  pass.     T«i  tell  the 

•fAnfhor's  notes.)  A  f.int.nstic  .'Jnim.il  in  fhr  form  of  n  liiiRC 
dot?,    black    and    hairy,    with    rrsoundinR   hoofs. 

tA  monster  that  takes  on  the  form  of  a  beautiful  woman,  t" 
lead    men    away.  ... 

tA  dreadful  phantom  that  can  he  heard  moaning  in  the  most 
terrifyinR    manner,    in    'hr    rrounl.nins. 

|Sf)uIs  in  dixtress.  (Trnnxlnlnr'x  nnlc:)  The  translator  once  read 
this  story  to  some  native  boatmen  on  the  Pacific  Coast  and  asked 
tiifm  about  these  creatures.  Thev  at  once  (fave  r.  detail-d  Recount 
of  their  habits  and  appearance.  One  sailor  stated  that  the  Cadejos 
was  probably  the   most  dangerous   animal   in   Costa   Rica. 


212  CUENTOS    TICOS 

truth,  he  did  not  feel  quite  at  ease  himself  and 
the  time  of  waiting  seemed  dreadfully  long,  be- 
cause all  the  fables  and  gruesome  legends  of 
which,  as  a  rule,  rustic  heads  are  full,  began  to 
bestir  themselves  threateningly  in  his  mind.  He 
heard  with  dread  the  church  clock  strike  half 
past  nine,  ten,  half  past  ten.  A  little  while  after 
the  last  stroke  a  vague  form  seemed  to  be  moving 
in  the  shadows  and  his  heart  beat  violently.  A 
moment  later  there  was  no  doubt  about  it.  Some 
one  was  approaching  with  rapid  steps  and  a 
nervous  manner.  Isidoro  clutched  the  jicara. 
The  man  came  abreast  of  the  guava  tree  and 
hurriedly  kept  on  his  way.  At  that  instant  a  hol- 
low and  terrifying  voice  came  from  the  leafy  top 
of  the  tree: 

"Ciriaco — o — o !" 

The  wayfarer  stopped  and  looked  all  about  in 
a  great  fright. 

"Ciriaco — o — o!"  said  the  dreadful  voice 
again.  The  old  man,  almost  fainting  with  terror, 
did  not  wait  longer,  but  took  to  his  heels  in  panic- 
stricken  flight,  convinced  that  it  was  his  wife 
who  was  calling  him,  to  reprove  him  for  his  bad 
conduct. 

The  stratagem  devised  by  '5Ja  Pastora  had  an 
admirable  eft'ect.  From  the  unfortunate  night  in 
which  he  heard  the  voice  from  beyond  the  grave, 
the  nocturnal  excursions  of  the  old  man  ceased. 
He  now  kept  himself  behind  barred  doors  as 
soon  as  it  became  dark,  almost  dead  with  super- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  213 

stitious  fears.  So  great  was  the  terror  which 
the  memory  of  his  dreadful  adventure  caused 
him,  that  he  ordered,  of  his  own  free  will,  a  num- 
ber of  masses  to  be  said  for  the  deceased  to  ap- 
pease her  justly  angered  soul;  yet  his  love  for 
Filomena  had  entered  into  his  flesh  and  in  vain 
he  strove  to  banish  her  seductive  image  from  his 
memory.  The  tyrannical  passion  had  taken  pos- 
session of  his  being,  a  senile  passion,  irresistible 
and  selfish,  which  enslaved  both  his  body  and  his 
soul.  Inspirited  by  its  constant  spurrings,  he 
vowed  to  himself  every  day  to  return  to  the  side 
of  his  adored  one,  but  the  shades  of  night  always 
banished  his  valiant  resolves,  which  gave  place 
to  fear,  a  terrible  fear  that  made  him  tremble 
like  a  hare.  Perhaps  love  would  have  been 
beaten  at  last  in  the  struggle  if  the  miser  had  not 
seen  Filomena  one  Sunday  as  he  came  out  from 
Mass.  The  girl  looked  at  him  with  a  significant 
sadness,  and  even  made  a  gesture  as  though  wip- 
ing away  a  tear.  'Ror  Ciriaco  could  not  resist 
this,  and  straightway  followed  her  to  her  house. 
A  week  later  he  went  to  live  with  Filomena  in 
the  neighl)oring  city,  to  the  great  scandal  of  the 
whole  village. 

For  the  second  time  '5Ja  Pastora  lost  in  the 
game  which  she  was  playing,  for  the  miser  was 
more  bewitched  than  ever.  The  wrath  of  the 
heirs  broke  forth  terribly,  because  of  the  flight  of 
their  father,  and  was  increased  when  they  heard 
that  he  was  squandering  their  prospective  for- 
tune, not  onlv  with  the  young  woman  but  also 


214  CUENTOS    TICOS 

with  certain  friends  who  were  teaching  him  to 
frequent  wine  shops.  On  investigation,  this  re- 
port proved  to  he  true,  with  the  additional  ag- 
gravation that  the  said  friends  were  a  pair  of 
sharpers  who  had  conspired  with  Filomena  to 
exploit  'Nor  Ciriaco,  and  who,  for  this  purpose, 
had  woven  a  woof  of  deception  worthy  of  the 
cunning  of  'Na  Pastora. 

Informed  by  the  girl  of  the  timidity  of  the  old 
man,  the  two  cronies,  one  of  whom  was  addicted 
to  bottles  and  the  other  to  petticoats,  conceived 
a  plan  for  satisfying  each  one  his  heart's  desire  at 
'Nor  Ciriaco's  expense. 

With  much  skill,  they  commenced  to  instil  in 
him  the  belief  that  in  the  patio*  of  the  house 
there  was  a  botija.f  which  did  not  fail  to  arousf 
the  ever  present  greed  of  the  miser.  When  they 
saw  that  his  mind  was  now  well  prq^ared,  Filo- 
mena awoke  him  one  night  with  feigned  anxiety, 
telling  him  that  she  had  heard  groanings  in  the 
patio.  Every  hair  on  'Nor  Ciriaco's  body  stood 
on  end;  from  that  instant  he  could  not  sleep,  and 
began  to  say  Ave  Marias  and  the  Lord's  Prayer 
one  after  the  other. 

On  the  following  night  the  good  friend  who 
was  so  fond  of  bottles  arrived  early  and  of 
course  nothing  was  talked  of  but  botijas  and 
hermanos.:}:      A    doleful    moan    suddenly    inter- 

•Courtyard  of  a   Spanish-American  house.  ,        . 

tCAuthor's  note.)  In  Costa  Rica  we  call  buried  treasures  Koti- 
jas,"  on  account  of  the  earthen  jars,  of  that  name,  in  which  they 
used    to   be    buried.  ,      u  i-     - 

tSouls  in  distress.  In  •  Costa  Rica,  the  country  people  believe 
that  if  a  man  dies  leaving  money  buried  and  owes  any_  one,  his 
ghost,  in  great  distress,  will  haunt  that  place  until  it  is  discov- 
ered  and   the    debts   paid. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  21 5 

rnpted  the  gabble  of  the  tippler.  The  old  man 
began  to  tremble.  Ten  minutes  later  another 
moan  was  heard,  and  so  on  with  an  equal  interval 
between  until  they  had  heard  four.  The  terror 
of  'Ror  Ciriaco  was  indescribable;  the  rascal, 
very  calm,  comforted  him  and  told  him  that  it 
would  be  necessary  to  talk  with  the  soul  in  dis- 
tress in  order  to  learn  where  the  botija  was; 
Filomena,  who  assured  them  that  the  groans  pro- 
ceeded from  the  chayote  vine,  which  was  in  the 
])atio,  ran  and  got  into  bed.  A  little  while  after- 
ward, the  friend  arose  to  take  his  leave,  but  'Nor 
Ciriaco,  half  wild  with  terror,  grasped  him  by 
one  arm  and  begged  him  not  to  leave  him  alone 
in  such  a  dreadful  plight.  The  tippler  consented 
to  remain  on  condition  that  some  little  bottles 
of  cognac  be  brought  to  aid  him  in  fighting  off 
slumber. 

This  farce  which  brought  felicity  to  the  knaves 
and  the  young  woman  lasted  for  more  than  a 
month.  Night  after  night,  thanks  to  the  coward- 
liness of  'Ror  Ciriaco,  the  comedy  was  repeated, 
with  as  good  success  as  on  the  first.  Filomena 
tfX)k  charge  of  secretly  getting  the  other  friend 
into  the  house.  He  would  hide  himself  in  the 
chayote  vine,  where  it  is  not  probable  the  girl 
would  leave  him  to  pass  the  whole  night  alone. 
Things  might  have  continued  thus  for  a  long 
time  if  the  two  cronies  had  not  been  so  imprudent 
as  to  confide  the  secret,  to  various  friends  of  the 
same  ilk.  These  found  the  story  very  amusing, 
and  therefore  it  was  soon  common  talk  in  all  the 


2l6  CUENTOS    TICOS 

wine-shops  of  the  city.  Thus  it  is  plain  how  the 
matter  came  to  the  ears  of  Isidore  BadiUa  one 
market  day,  although  the  tale-bearer  was  igno- 
rant of  the  fact  that  the  person  mentioned  was 
the  young  man's  father,  for  he  managed  to  con- 
ceal it.  On  his  return  to  the  village  he  informed 
'Na  Pastora  of  the  state  of  affairs.  The  old 
woman,  after  meditating  a  while,  told  him  not 
to  worry,  promising  that  this  time  everything 
should  be  arranged  as  he  desired. 
.  Filomena,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  the  super- 
natural persecutions,  of  which  'Nor  Ciriaco  was 
the  victim,  had  promised  to  attend  the  Pasada* 
of  the  Virgin  of  the  Angels,  dressed  as  an  Indian 
girl,  and  as  the  old  man  built  up  great  hopes  on 
the  intervention  of  the  negritaf  in  his  favor,  he 
opened  his  purse  wide  to  pay  for  the  costume. 
The  two  sharpers,  without  whom  nothing  was 
now  done  in  the  house,  were  invited  to  the  pil- 
grimage, and  all  four  set  out  for  Cartago,  on  the 
evening  before  the  ceremony.  That  same  night,  a 
spying  neighbor  could  have  seen  an  old  woman 
accompanied  by  a  young  man,  entering  the  house 
of  'Nor  Ciriaco,  it  might  have  been  with  a  skele- 
ton key,  for  they  were  some  time  in  opening  the 
door.  The  old  woman,  who  was  carrying  an 
earthenware  jar  on  her  hip,  came  out  alone  at 

*('Aiithor'^  note.)  An  annual  religious  ceremony,  which  takes 
place  in  the  city  of  Cartago,  is  known  by  this  name  of  "La 
Pasada,"  and  consists  of  the  translation  of  the  miraculous  image 
of  Our  Lady  of  the  Angels  from  the  church  of  La  Soledad  to  the 
sanctuary  of  its  name,  with  a  great  following  of  pilgrims,  devout 
persons,    curious    ones    and    masqueraders. 

tCAuthor's  note.)  Little  negress.  An  affectionate  name  that 
the  people  of  Cartago  give  to  the  miraculous  image  of  Our  Lady 
of   the    Angels. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  21/ 

the  end  of  an  hour,  and  carefully  closed  the 
door. 

When  the  pilgrims  returned  on  the  following 
night,  rather  tipsy  and  very  merry,  Filomena, 
who  had  outshone  many  in  the  procession,  pro- 
posed crowning  the  festival  with  a  good  supper 
which  could  be  br(jught  from  a  Chinese  restaurant 
near  Ijy. 

'Nor  Ciriaco,  whose  generosity  now  had  no 
limits,  having  accepted  this  proposal,  went  out 
with  the  two  cronies  into  the  street,  while  the 
girl'  set  the  table. 

They  did  not  delay  long  in  returning  with  the 
supper  and  a  number  of  bottles,  when  the  love 
feast  commenced,  which  promised  to  be  long 
on  account  of  the  keen  ai)petites  of  the  ban- 
queters, and  merry,  thanks  to  the  good-humor  all 
were  in. 

'Nor  Ciriaco,  full  of  confidence  in  the  efficacy 
of  the  vow  made  by  Filomena,  gorged  himself  to 
repletion.  Suddenly  with  a  look  of  anguish  he 
ceased  to  eat. 

"The  moans," — he  murmured,   growing  pale. 

"You're  crazy,"  re])lied  one  of  the  two  friends, 
casting   a    roguish    glance   at   Filomena. 

There  was  silence  for  a  while.  .Xnother  groan, 
clearly  audible,  which  sounded  in  the  patio,  made 
them  all  arise  from  the  table  panic-stricken.  The 
three  accomplices  looked  at  each  other  in  aston- 
ishment. The  friend  of  Filomena,  doubtless 
more  courageous  or  more  familiar  with  these 
mysteries  of  the  other  world,  went  to  a  window 


2l8  CUENTOS    TICOS 

^vhich  opened  on  the  patio  and  raised  it.  The 
others  grouped  themselves  behind  him. 

"A — a — a — a — y!"  wailed  the  "hermano,"  for 
the  third  time,  with  a  mournful  accent. 

All  began  to  tremble  with  fear.  'Ror  Ciriaco's 
teeth  were  chattering,  and  his  knees  were  doub- 
ling under  him.  The  situation  was  terrible. 
After  some  minutes,  which  to  those  present 
seemed  centuries,  the  brave  one  asked  in  a  faint 
and  faltering  voice : 

'Tf — if — you  are  a  soul  in  distress—tell  us 
wha — what  you  want." 

"To  escape  from  my  sorro — o^ — ws,"  replied 
the  voice. 

The  four  friends  laid  hold  of  each  other,  so  as 
not  to  fall.  The  same  one  who  had  spoken  firsts 
again  asked : 

"Tell  us  fo — for — wha — what  you  are  doing 
penance." 

"For  a  botija — a — a!" 

"Wh— where  is  it?" 

"He— ere." 

The  voice  came  from  the  chayote  vine,  so  of 
course  the  botija  was  beneath  it,  but  who  was 
daring  enough  to  go  and  get  it  out  at  such  a 
time?  Nevertheless,  the  powerful  incentive  of 
gold  began  little  by  little  to  overcome  the  fear  in 
those  human  hearts.  Trembling  and  whispering, 
the  woman  and  the  three  men  decided  to  go  and 
search  for  a  pick  and  shovel  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  as  no  one  had  the  courage  to  wait  there 
alone,  all   four  went  leaving  the  house  empty. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2Jg 

They  had  scarcely  gone  out,  when  Isidoro — for 
the  "hermano"  was  he  and  no  one  else — im- 
proved the  opportunity  to  slip  out  also. 

They  did  not  delay  long  in  securing  the  neces- 
sary implements  for  digging,  and  'Nor  Ciriaco, 
calmed  by  the  presence  of  four  or  five  frequenters 
of  the  neighlx)ring  wine-shop  who  had  come  be- 
hind them,  commenced  to  insinuate  timidly  that 
the  botija  belonged  to  him  exclusively,  as  he  w^as 
the  owner  of  the  house.  The  others,  impatient 
to  discover  the  gold,  began  to  dig  beneath  the 
chayote  vine  by  the  light  of  a  lantern.  One  of 
them  noticed  that  the  earth  came  out  easily  as 
though  it  had  been  recently  dug  up,  but  at  that 
moment  none  of  those  present  was  in  a  mood 
to  observe  closely. 

"There's  something  here,"  exclaimed  one  of 
those  who  were  working  at  the  hole. 

Everybody  came  closer,  panting  with  excite- 
ment. Two  minutes  later  an  cartlicnwarc  jar  of 
ordinary  size  cf)uld  be  seen,  which  made  the 
hearts  of  all  palpitate  with  covetous  desire.  The 
vessel,  which  was  (piitc  heavy,  was  taken  out. 
Then  '5Jor  Ciriaco  claimed  and  obtained  for  him- 
self the  right  of  examining  tiie  contents.  With 
a  trembling  hand  he  removed  a  stone  that  cluscd 
the  mr)uth  of  the  jar  and  greedily  thrust  his 
fingers  inside.  Again  he  pulled  out  a  stone,  and 
then  another,  and  another,  until  he  had  taken  out 
ten.  A  great  disenchantment  succeeded  to  the 
first  excitement  of  the  sj)cctators  of  that  strange 
scene,  since  the  coveted  riches,  which  they  hoped 


220  CUENTOS    TICOS 

to  find  in  the  jar,  did  not  make  their  appearance. 
Those  who  had  come  from  the  wine-shop  began 
to  suspect  that  they  were  victims  of  some  new 
prank  of  the  two  rascally  friends,  when  'Ror 
Ciriacc  drew  out  from  the  bottom  of  the  jar  two 
objects,  whose  appearance  was  received  with  a 
boisterous  laugh.  They  were  a  bottle  of  brandy 
and  a  handsome  cow's  horn.* 

The  miser  stood  stu])efied  with  amazement, 
looking  first  at  one  and  then  another,  without 
comprehending  the  cause  of  that  /  unexpected 
hilarity.  Suddenly  a  bright  ray  of  light  pene- 
trated his  mind,  and  the  veil  that  had  covered  his 
eyes  fell.  Wrath,  a  terrible  savage  wrath,  surged 
into  his  heart.  He  looked  for  Filomena,  and 
advancing  toward  her  with  a  menacing  air, 
shouted : 

"Oh,  you  cheat!!"  and  heaped  curses  and  vile 
names  upon  her. 

As  the  girl's  lover  made  as  though  he  would 
interpose,  'Nor  Ciriaco  split  his  head  open  with 
a  bottle. 

*The  Spanish   word  cucrno,  or  horn,  is  often  applied  to  a  cuckold. 


EL  AHORCADO. 
(the  hanged  man.) 

WE  had  already  passed  the  smiHng  valley  of  " 
Ujarraz  after  traversing  the  red  and 
sterile  lands  of  misnamed  Paraiso;*  be- 
hind lay  the  pastures  of  Cartago,  dotted  with 
huge  gray  stones,  and  the  green  coffee  planta- 
tions of  Tres  Rios.  The  train  rolled  now  over 
the  colossal  viaduct  of  the  Birrisf  with  the  roar- 
ing noise  of  torrential  waters,  and  kept  on  its 
downward  course  winding  about  like  a  snake 
high  up  on  the  side  of  the  mountain  range. 

The  panorama  had  changed  with  the  rapidity 
of  a  stage  scene.  To  the  sparse  vegetation  of  the 
high  altitudes  which  reminds  one  of  northern 
landscapes,  succeeded  the  monstrous  luxuriance 
of  the  tropical  forests;  wlicrc  the  great  size  of  the 
trees,  the  density  of  the  foliage,  and  the  tall  and 
graceful  |)alm  trees  here  and  there  gave  one  the 
strange  illusion  of  being  in  another  country,  a 
thousand  leagues  away. 

At    the   cai)rice   of   the    interminable   turnings 

•Paradise. 

IThc  largest  li'i'lifi-  on  the  railroad  from  Limon  to  San  Josd, 
nearly    300*  feet    high. 


222  CUENTOS    TICOS 

and  twistings  of  the  railroad  line  which  follows 
the  canon  of  the  Reventazon  river,  the  aspect 
of  the  landscape  changed  continually.  At  times 
we  could  descry  the  river  boiling  impetuously 
along  in  the  depths  far  below,  where  the  vertical 
rays  of  the  mid-day  sun  penetrated,  making  it 
shine  like  a  silver  ribbon  against  a  background 
of  emeralds.  Two  minutes  later  we  were  sur- 
rounded by  the  silent  majesty  of  the  mountains 
which  shut  in  the  horizon  like  a  gigantic  amphi- 
theatre, or  passed  by  some  mysterious  abyss 
which  yawned  threateningly  at  our  feet.  My 
companion  in  the  seat,  who  noticed  the 
admiration  ^\•llich  the  picturesque  panorama 
caused  me,  suspended  the  reading  of  his  paper 
to  say : 

"If  our  grandfathers  could  rise  up  from  their 
tombs  and  see  the  ease  with  which  to-day  we  go 
to  the  Atlantic  coast,  they  would  fall  dead  again 
of  surprise.  They  used  to  confess  and  make  their 
wills  when  they  went  to  Matina,*  to  the  famous 
Matina  which  inspires  fear  in  men  and  madness 
in  mules,  J-  as  they  used  to  say  in  those  days,  when 
men  were  l)raver  and  mules  better.  The 
truth  is  that 'this  road  seems  like  a  work  of  the 
Romans,  and  many  believed  it  an  impossibility 
until  it  was  done.  I  remember  that  a  person  of 
importance,  one  of  those  who  believe  themselves 
infallible,  once  said  in  a  mocking  tone:  'General 

•A  village  on   the  coast  plain  near   Limon. 
tin  Spanish  this  saying  rhymes: 

"Al    famoso    Matina 
que   a    los    hombres   acoquina 
y   a   las   mulas   desatina." 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  227, 

Guardia*  is  trying  to  build  a  railroad  to  Port 
Limon,  where  the  birds  themselves  can  scarcely 
go  with  wings.'  To-day  one  might  answer  him 
that  if  the  birds  cannot  get  there  by  tlying  there 
is  nothing  to  prevent  them  from  making  the 
journey  very  comfortably  in  a  cage.  But  one 
must  confess  that  those  who  doubted  the  success- 
ful outcome  of  the  work  were  not  without  reason. 
Believe  me,  that  only  we  who  have  seen  near  at 
hand  the  difficulties  that  had  to  be  conquered  in 
finishing  it  can  appreciate  their  magnitude." 

Then  my  neighbor,  who  was  talkative,  began 
to  tell  me  many  tales  connected  with  the  construc- 
tion of  our  railroad  to  the  east  in  which  the 
name  of  Keith,  the  indefatigable  North  American, 
to  whose  prodigious  force  and  indomitable  en- 
ergy the  completion  of  that  undertaking  is  chiefly 
owed,  was  often  mentinned.  All  of  those  his- 
tories are  very  interesting,  and  could  serve  as 
exami)les  worthy  of  imitation  by  future  genera- 
tions, who  cannot  but  admire  what  was  done  by 
force  of  perseverance,  energy  and  toil,  fighting 
hand  to  hanrl  with  inanimate  things  and  the  ele- 
ments combined  against  man.  Perhaps  some  day 
there  will  be  one  wlu)  will  tell  of  the  heroic 
deeds  of  these  humble  laborers,  many  of  whom 
perished  obscurely,  victims  of  the  deaflly  climate, 
the  constant  battle  against  the  terrible  rugged- 
ness  of  the  mountains;  the  ravages  of  the  rivers 
which  at  any  moment  overleaped  their  beds  and 
swept  away  and  twisted  out  of  shape  great  iron 

•A  dictator  of  Costa  Rica  during  whose  rule  this  road  was 
commenced. 


224 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


bridges  as  if  they  had  been  of  straw;  the 
unheard  of  fatigues  of  those  who  had  to  work 
under  an  overpowering  sun,  breathing  unhealtliy 
miasmas,  badly  fed  and  passing  the  nights  upon 
the  ground  soaked  by  heavy  rains,  without  being 


A    SLIDE    ON    THE    COSTA     RICA     RAILWAY 


able  to  sleep,  harassed  by  clouds  of  ferocious 
mosquitoes.  This  is  a  subject  worthy  of  a  great 
ei)ic.  and  perhaps  some  poet  of  the  future  will 
write  it.  when  the  ideals  and  sentiments  of  men 
may  have  changed  and  they  prefer  the  tales  of  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  225 

noble  struggles  of  industry,  to  the  bloody  annals 
of  the  great  captains.  While  that  time  is  coming, 
though  in  my  opinion  still  far  off,  I  am  going  to 
relate  the  last  of  the  episodes  which  my  com- 
panion on  the  train  told  me  and  which  seemed  to 
have  made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind. 


When  the  work  on  the  railroad  was  com 
menced,  the  port  of  Limon  was  almost  a  wilder- 
ness, where  only  a  few  miserable  thatched  huts, 
inhabited  by  negroes,  could  be  seen,  aside  from 
the  temporary  structures  erected  by  the  govern- 
ment for  the  necessities  of  the  public  service.  It 
is  unnecessary  U)  say  that  life  there  was  very  hard 
at  that  time,  since  every  comfort  was  lacking,  on 
account  of  the  impossibility  of  communicating 
with  the  interior  of  the  country  and  on  account  of 
the  slight  maritime  activity,  confined  to  a  month- 
ly steamer  of  the  British  Royal  Mail,  the  arrival 
of  which  was  a  feast  day.  On  these  occasions, 
one  could  get  ice,  which  was  the  most  needed 
thing  in  that  fiery  climate.  There  were  no  diver- 
sions nor  even  time  to  read.  Sundays  they  used 
to  go  hunting  and  return  with  wild  turkeys  and 
other  game,  which  were  a  godsend  to  people  con- 
demned to  live  on  canned  provisions.  The  Gov- 
ernor's negro  cook  took  charge  of  preparing  what 
the  hunters  provided,  and  brought  forth  bottles 
of  wine,  thus  improvising  a  banquet,  in  which 
Doctor  Urbina  Icfl  the  conversation  with  his  in- 
exhaustible repertoire  of  stories  and  jokes. 


226 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


Doctor  Urbina  was  a  rare  type,  a  mixture 
of  cynicism  and  g-ood-heartedness;  of  a  short 
temper,  and  consequently  a  rather  difficult  person 
to  deal  with,  although  he  was  most  commonly 
found  in  a  very  affable  humor.  When,  how- 
ever, he  appeared  with  a  certain  furrow  between 
his  eyebrows  and  with  a  sparkle  in  his  left  eye, 
it  was  better  to  abstain  from  talking  to  him,  so 
as  to  avoid  injury  to  one's  feelings.  At  such 
times  he  could  give  voice  only  to  sarcasms  and 
cutting  ironies,  which  even  his  best  friends  could 
not  pardon  and  which  caused  him  many  hatreds 
and  hard  feelings  during  his  life.  Nevertheless 
the  politeness  of  his  ordinary  manner  and  the 
wittiness  of  his  conversation  kept  at  his  side  a 
group  of  persons  who,  if  they  did  not  actually 
like  him,  at  least  took  pleasure  in  hearing  him 
talk  with  the  keen  wit  which  was  natural  to  him. 
As  for  the  rest  he  was  an  excellent  doctor  and  an 
energetic  man,  resolute  and  of  a  ready  invention, 
as  he  proved  on  various  occasions,  especially  on 
one  which  has  become  famous. 

Coolies  had  been  brought  from  China  for  the 
railroad  work  and  were  located  in  the  unhealthy 
zone,  as  it  is  well  known  that  the  life  of  a  China- 
man is  of  no  great  importance.  One  must  sup- 
pose that  they  themselves  held  the  same  opinion, 
considering  the  ease  with  which  they  parted 
from  it.  In  fact  not  a  day  dawned  that  some  son 
of  the  Celestial  Empire  was  not  found  hanging 
from  a  tree,  to  the  envy  of  his  companions,  who 
literally  believed  that  he  would  come  to  life  on 


I 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  229 

the  banks  of  the  Hoang  Ho,  the  famous  Yellow 
River,  and  find  hai^piness  in  the  contemplation  of 
the  fragile  pagodas  of  the  land  of  Confucius,  far 
from  the  abhored  o\erseer  who  made  them  work. 
This  mania  for  suicide,  of  which  home-sickness 
and  laziness  were  the  chief  causes,  began  to  take 
on  alarming  proportions  among  the  coolies,  and 
it  was  necessary  to  consider  seriously  some  way 
of  stopping  it.  Although,  with  this  object,  vari- 
ous experiments  were  tried,  none  were  of  any 
use.  Neither  threats  nor  promises  could  re- 
strain the  evil.  A  very  ingenious  idea  then  oc- 
curred to  Doctor  Urbina,  which  had  an  admirable 
result.  One  day  when  two  Chinamen  were  found 
hanging,  in  spite  of  the  strict  vigilance  exercised 
in  the  camp  to  prevent  such  hai)penings,  the  order 
was  given  to  call  them  all  together  and  form  them 
in  a  circle.  Stretched  on  the  ground  in  the  centre 
were  placed  the  two  suicides.  Then  the  doctur. 
grave  and  solemn,  ai)pcared  and  taking  a  scal])el 
out  of  his  instrument  case  quickly  cut  off  the  ears 
and  the  cues  froiu  the  corjjscs.  in  the  i)resence  of 
the  horrified  coolies.  Then  by  means  of  an  in- 
terpreter, he  announced  to  them  that  every  one 
who  after  that  should  take  his  life  would  suffer 
tlic  same  mutilations,  and  that  in  tliis  unsightly. 
imj)crfcct  state  he  would  come  back  to  life  in 
China.  That  was  an  efficacious  remedy.  Not 
another  coolie  committed  suicide;  and  when  the 
doctor  used  to  relate  this  anecdote  he  never  for- 
got to  conclude  in  his  deep  bass  voice:  "Even  the 
Chinamen  have  their  little  l)if  of  vanity." 


230 


CUENTOS   TICOS 


My  neighbor  made  other  Hke  digressions  in 
telHng  what  1  am  now  going  to  relate,  but  in 
order  not  to  be  diffuse,  I  consider  it  better  to 
omit  them. 

It  happened  that  two  Jamaican  negroes  came 
to  Limon  in  a  boat  from   the   small    Colombian 


ONE    OF    THE    DIFFICULTIES    OK    RAILROADING    IN    THE   TROPICS 


town  of  Bocas  del  Toro.  They  announced 
themselves  as  artists  or  minstrels,  and  made 
known  their  desire  of  giving  a  performance,  for 
which  ])urpose  a  freight  shed  was  lent  to 
them,  where  a  stage  was  constructed.  The  pro- 
gramme was  divided  into  two  parts.  The  first 
consisted  of  songs  and  dances;  in  the  second,  one 


STORIZS    OF    COSTA    RICA  23 1 

of  the  actors  was  to  simulate  the  death  of  a 
man  by  hanging.  From  the  Governor  down, 
there  was  not  an  inhabitant  of  the  place  who  did 
not  go  to  the  performance.  Two  large  kerosene 
torches  placed  at  the  door  of  the  shed  illuminated 
a  placard  printed  in  English  on  which  it  was 
stated,  of  course,  that  those  negroes  were  the 
''Champions  of  the  World.''  The  first  part  fur- 
nished great  amusement  for  the  North  Americans 
present,  who  cannot  see  a  negro  on  the  stage 
without  almost  dying  of  laughter.  The  rest  of 
the  spectators,  who  did  not  understand  English 
or  did  not  see  the  point  of  the  jokes,  would  have 
had  a  dull  time  of  it  that  night  had  it  not  been  for 
the  witty  comments  in  a  jocular  vein  which 
Doctor  Urbina  made  in  a  loud  voice. 

After  a  rather  long  intermission,  the  second 
part  commenced.  Suspended  from  a  beam  over 
the  platform  or  stage  the  hangman's  noose  could 
be  seen.  The  two  negroes  appeared  and  one  of 
them  tied  the  other's  hands.  This  done,  both  got 
upon  a  bench  and  the  one  who  acted  the  part  of 
hangman  placed  the  noose  of  the  rope  about  the 
neck  of  his  companion.  When  everything  was 
ready  the  negro  executioner  pronounced  a  dis- 
course which  must  have  been  very  funny,  to 
judge  from  the  laughter  of  the  Yankees;  then 
after  getting  down  he  snatched  away  the  bench, 
leaving  the  conrlcnmcd  man  hanging  in  the  air. 
There  was  a  creaking  of  the  beam  and  the  body 
was  swaying  in  space.  The  scene  was  repug- 
nant, and  became  even  more  so  when  tlie  negro 


232  CUENTOS    TICOS 

was  seen  to  struggle,  his  face  swollen  and  his 
eyes  bulging  from  their  sockets.  A  tremor  of 
horror  ran  through  the  crowd. 

"That  man  is  strangling!"  exclaimed  Doctor 
Urbina. 

The  negro  who  played  the  part  of  hangman 
replied,  laughing,  "Oh,  my  friend  does  this 
hanging  act  very  well." 

These  words  called  forth  a  shout  of  laughter 
from  everybody,  and  all  looked  at  the  doctor,  be- 
lieving that  this  was  one  of  those  frequent  jokes 
of  his.  In  the  meantime,  the  body  of  the  negro 
was  still  writhing  and  the  swollen  tongue,  cov- 
ered with  bloody  froth,  was  protuding  from  the 
half  open  mouth. 

"That  man  is  strangling!"  again  declared 
Doctor  Urbina,  who  had  just  observed  an  unmis- 
takable symptom. 

This  time  the  negro  had  to  sit  down  for 
laughter.  He  pressed  his  stomach  with  his 
hands;  he  shook  with  merriment  and  his  mouth 
opened  wide,  showing  two  rows  of  very  white 
teeth. 

"That  man  is  strangling!"  shouted  Doctor 
Urbina  rushing  toward  the  stage. 

The  negro  laughed,  the  friends  of  Urbina 
laughed;  everybody  laughed  on  seeing  that 
comical  scene  which  was  not  mentioned  in  the 
programme.  The  doctor  jumped  upon  the  stage 
with  one  leap  and  severed  the  rope  with  a  pocket 
knife  which  he  carried  in  his  hand.  The  body 
fell  flat  upon  the  boards  with  a  dull  thud.     Then 


1 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


233 


the  laugh  died  in  the  mouth  of  the  hangman, 
who  now  looked  with  terror  at  his  companion 
lying  on  the  floor,  an  inert  mass. 

For  an  hour  Doctor  Urbina  labored  to  bring 


ON    TIIF    r(i\sT    I'l  MN 


the  negro  back  to  life.  It  was  all  in  vain.  The 
poor  fellow  had  jjlayed  his  part  with  an  excess 
of  perfection. 


234  CUENTOS    TICOS 

My  neighbor,  tired  of  talking,  had  resumed 
the  interrupted  reading  of  his  paper.  Behind  us 
the  immense  mass  of  the  Cordillera  grew  con- 
stantly as  we  kept  drawing  away  from  it,  and 
the  train  ran  rapidly  over  the  hot  coast  plain  in 
the  midst  of  a  perfect  orgy  of  verdure.  The 
trees,  covered  with  parasites  and  vines,  raised 
their  immense  branches  to  the  sky,  like  the  arms 
of  fabulous  giants.  Above  the  multitude  of  inter- 
lacing tops  towered,  here  and  there,  the  tall 
slender  trunk  of  a  palm  crowned  with  its  fragile 
plume. 

The  rivers  flowed  swiftly,  carrying  along  cen- 
tury old  tree  trunks,  and  on  one  side  or  another 
we  could  see  the  green  ranks  of  banana  trees, 
somewhat  resembling  colossal  lilies.  At  times 
we  had  a  swift-passing  vision  of  a  wooden  house 
or  of  a  palm-thatched  hut,  surrounded  by  cocoa- 
nut  trees,  begonias,  pineapples  and  flowers  whose 
penetrating  odors  reached  us  through  the  car 
windows,  mixed  with  the  hot  breath  of  the  heated 
earth.  It  was  the  tropics,  with  its  gloomy  forests, 
its  sun  of  fire,  its  countless  animals  and  reptiles 
and  its  implacable  fevers;  the  tropics,  magnifi- 
cent, triumphant  and  terrible.  While  the  savage 
beauty  of  the  spectacle  compelled  our  admiration 
a  feeling  began  to  grow  within  me,  vague  at  first, 
afterwards  most  intense;  it  was  the  homesick 
longing  for  the  pleasant  fields  of  the  highlands, 
and  the  whitewashed  adobe  houses  which  call 
to  mind  those  of  the  mother  Spain. 


UN  ESPADACHIN. 
(a  swordsman.) 

THE  sons  of  Alajuela*  have  their  defects, — 
who  indeed  is  exempt  from  them? — but  on 
the  other  hand  they  have  some  very  com- 
mendable quahties.  They  are  frank  and  loyal, 
progressive  and  valiant.  In  regard  to  frankness  it 
can  be  said  that  they  are  even  inclined  to  lack  di- 
plomacy. Their  loyalty  is  now  proverbial,  since 
never  have  they  been  known  to  abandon  any  un- 
fortunate cause  that  had  their  sympathies.  A 
good  proof  of  this  is  the  unchanging  fidelity  with 
which  they  still  cherish  the  memory  of  the  ill- 
starred  Don  Juan  Rafael  Mora.f  They  are 
liberty  loving  to  exaggeration ;  at  the  very  be- 
ginning of  our  life  as  a  nation  they  showed  it  by 
fighting  for  the  rei)ublic  against  the  imperial  ban- 
ner of  Itnrhidc.  And,  .so  far  as  bravery  is  con- 
cerned, on  every  occasion  they  have  been  the  first 
to  rush  into  danger.     Now  it  might  be  internal 

•(Trantlator's  note.)  Capital  of  the  province  of  Alajucla  and 
onr  of  the  larecsf  towns  of  Costa  Rica.  With  its  narrow  cohhlc 
paved  streets,  massive  church  and  turretcd  cuartcl,  or  barracks,  it 
has  an  old-fashioned,  almost  mrdia-val  look,  and  forms  a  suitable 
setting  for  this  story,  which  rather  reminds  one  of  the  misadven- 
tures   of    Don    Ouijote. 

tA  former  President  of  Costa  Kica  who  was  driven  out  by  a 
revolution.  _,„ 

235 


236  CUENTOS    TICOS 

Strife  such  as  the  overthrow  of  Morazan,  and 
again  a  foreign  war  Hke  that  which  was  waged 
against  Walker's  fiHbtisters  in  Nicaragua.  For 
in  this  many  Alajuelans  covered  themselves 
with  glory,  among  others  Juan  Santa  Maria  and 
Don  Juan  Alfaro  Ruiz  at  Rivas,  and  General 
Florentino  Alfaro  at  el  Sardinal.  My  fellow 
countrymen,  therefore,  will  not  take  it  ill  that  I 
reveal  one  of  their  small  defects,  if  indeed  it  is  a 
defect  to  be  somewhat  of  a  braggart.  Still,  why 
deny  it?  The  Alajuelan  is  boastful,  and  it  is  not 
displeasing  to  him  in  case  of  need  to  make  a  bold 
threat. 

During  the  first  presidency  of  Dr.  Castro, 
whom  they  declared  deposed  by  a  daring 
act  of  rebellion,  there  was  a  time  when  they  made 
valor  a  profession.  It  is  true  that  for  their  rebel- 
lious act  they  were  conquered  by  the  governmen' 
troops,  but  that,  more  than  to  force  of  arms,  was 
owing  to  a  well-known  piece  of  treachery.  This 
they  have  not  even  yet  been  able  to  forget,  nor 
also  the  extremely  ridiculous  exaggeration  with 
which  the  triumph  of  a  considerable  army  over  a 
handful  of  men  was  celebrated.  I  say,  then,  that 
at  that  time,  now  long  past,  all  the  men  in  Ala- 
juela  were  given  to  deeds  of  daring  and  were 
also  more  or  less  skilled  in  the  use  of  weapons. 
The  gentlemen  of  the  city  devoted  themselves 
enthusiastically  to  the  management  of  the  guaca- 
lona,*  the  men  of  the  neighboring  villages  to  that 
of  the  Cutachaf  and  the  realera.:}: 

*  Sword    with   a    basket   hilt. 
tA  kind  of  machete. 
t.\    long    machete. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  239 

From  this  love  for  arms,  quarrels  arose  between 
one  and  another,  occasioned  by  local  rivalries. 
Still,  as  their  rancors  were  not  deep  and  the  com- 
batants were  more  desirous  of  showing  their  skill 
than  of  doing  injury,  they  generally  contented 
themselves  with  giving  each  other  a  few  strokes 
with  the  flat  of  the  sword  without  greater 
damage. 

The  field  of  honor  w^as  ordinarily  the  plaza  of 
the  church  of  La  Agonia  when  the  affair  was  with 
one  of  the  Llaneros,  or  plainsmen  from  the  plains 
of  Carmen,  and  in  the  place  called  el  Arroyo  if 
the  dispute  was  with  one  from  Rio  Sigundo.*  As 
policemen  with  sleek  oily  hair  had  not  yet  been 
invented  for  the  delight  of  housemaids,  nor  even 
those  watchmen  who  used  to  walk  the  streets  at 
night  singing  out  the  hours,  dressed  like 
Calabrian  bandits,  with  the  cloak  hanging  from 
one  shoulder,  leather  sandals  on  the  feet  and 
short  gun  in  hand,  the  conflicts  used  to  last  until 
the  night  patrol  or  a  guard  from  the  cuartel  came 
to  put  a  stop  to  them. 

Among  the  most  assiduous  in  these  affairs  of 
honor  which  tor»k  place  on  moonlight  nights,  as 
clear  as  the  day  in  Alajuela,  was  a  gentleman 
whom  for  the  needs  of  this  narrative  T  shall  call 
Don  Telesforo. 

He  was  a  man  of  mature  age  although  still 
agile  and  vigorous,  who  passed  as  an  adc])t  in  the 
management  of  arms  and  as  being  exjjerienced 
in  all  kinds  of  adventures,  which  he  himself  took 

•A    village    near    Alajuela. 


240  CUENTOS    TICOS 

pleasure  in  relating-;  yet  as  they  had  all  happened 
during  a  famous  journey  which  he  had  made  to 
South  America  in  his  youth,  they  were  difficult  to 
verify.  Nevertheless  nobody  would  have  dared 
to  doubt  them,  out  of  respect  for  the  enormous 
guacalona  which  always  accompanied  him  when 
he  went  out  at  night  muffled  in  his  cloak  of  San 
Fernando  cloth. 

Don  Telesforo,  in  addition  to  being  a  swords- 
man, was  fond  of  love  making  and  was  a  good 
player  on  the  guitar.  No  one  knew  better  than  he 
how  to  sing  a  mournful  lay,  one  of  those  that 
soften  the  hardest  feminine  hearts;  and  as  he 
liked  to  display  this  accomplishment,  there  was 
hardly  a  serenade  in  which  he  did  not  take  part. 
After  a  tuneful  prelude,  the  secret  of  which  he 
jealously  guarded,  he  would  sing  in  his  rather 
nasal  voice  a  certain  couplet  which  was  the  in- 
troduction to  all  the  serenades  of  that  epoch : 

Til    Amunlc,    Silvia. 

S!ii  Amor  dcdica 

Y    hoy    sacritica 

Su  Corazon. 
The  repertory  of  Don  Telestoro  was  very  ex- 
tensive, and  the  song  varied  according  to  circum- 
stances. It  was  tender  and  loving  if  the  wooer 
saw  that  his  love  was  reciprocated,  querulous  if 
the  lovely  Silvia  was  inclined  to  be  scornful,  bit- 
ter if  it  was  a  case  of  avenging  infidelity.  This 
was  not  the  only  advantage  which  resulted  from 
his  presence  in  a  serenading  party.  If  it  were 
interrupted  by  the  untimely  passing  of  the  patrol 


I 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  24I 

or  of  some  jealous  rival,  Don  Telesforo  would 
exchange  the  guitar  for  the  guacalona,  and  then 
there  was  the  devil  to  pay.  He  remained  a 
bachelor  for  a  long  time,  because  as  he  used  to 
say  "the  loose  ox  has  an  easy  time,"  but  there  were 
those  who  affirmed  that  the  gallant  had  had  more 
than  one  defeat  in  love  during  his  life.  Be 
that  as  it  might,  Don  Telesforo  finally  delivered 
his  valiant  hand  to  a  species  of  virago  whose 
antecedents  cannot  be  cited  as  models  of  virtue. 
This  made  him  lose  a  great  deal  in  the  estimation 
of  people,  and  was  the  cause  of  derogatory  re- 
marks, which  it  may  be  said  in  passing,  did  not 
travel  far,  because  if  the  guacalona  of  Don  Teles- 
foro inspired  respect,  the  tongue  of  his  consort 
was  not  less  feared,  and  moreover  she  was  one 
who  would  not  hesitate  to  pull  off  hair-ribbons 
and.  if  one  were  to  believe  what  the  evil  tongues 
said,  one  would  have  to  admit  as  certain  that  Don 
Telesforo  himself  was  acquainted  only  too  well 
with  the  power  of  his  better  half's  claws. 

One  thing,  indeed,  was  evident,  and  that  was 
the  transformation  of  the  gentleman  after  his 
marriage.  He  was  not  now  to  be  seen  in  sere- 
nades nor  in  affairs  of  honor  and  least  of  all  in 
little  dances  at  private  houses,  to  which  in  his 
good  days  he  had  been  so  partial.  Tt  is  to  be 
presumed  that  his  household  dragon  did  not  per- 
mit him  to  enjoy  these  favorite  diversions,  and 
for  this  reason  Don  Telesforo  was  plainly  deteri- 
orating. His  aspect  was  less  fierce,  tlie  guacalona 
was  rusting  in  its  scabbard,    and    his   cloak   was 


242  CUEXTOS    TICOS 

growing  mildewed  on  its  hook.  These  were 
doubtless  causes  why,  in  the  mind  of  some,  respect 
for  him  should  diminish,  and  perhaps  also,  why 
he  should  not  carry  himself  with  his  customary 
gallantry  on  two  occasions  of  which  I,  in  a  spirit 
of  mischief,  am  going  to  tell. 

Harassed  by  domestic  tyranny,  Don  Telesforo 
began  to  tipple,  at  first  taking  rompope,*  but  later 
brandy  and  other  strong  liquors,  which  caused 
some  disorder  in  his  ideas.  He  commenced  to 
believe  himself  pursued  and  surrounded  by  im- 
aginary perils,  and  in  order  to  be  ready  to  defend 
himself  from  them,  passed  the  silent  hours  giving 
thrusts,  cuts  and  backstrokes  with  the  guacalona. 
Before  the  dominion  of  his  wife  became  so  abso- 
lute in  the  house,  some  of  his  friends  and  boon 
companions  used  to  go  to  fence  with  him;  but 
now  no  one  came  near,  through  fear  of  the  vixen. 
This  loss  of  his  favorite  exercise  was  one  of  the 
things  that  exasperated  him  most  and  threw  him 
a  little  off  his  balance. 

One  morning,  while  Don  Telesforo  was  en- 
tertaining himself  by  perfecting  a  thrust,  during 
the  absence  of  his  torment,  he  saw  a  countryman 
enter  the  patio  with  a  cartload  of  firewood.  He 
was  just  then  in  need  of  an  adversary  in  order  to 
judge  better  the  efficacy  of  his  parrying,  and  be- 
lieved that  the  rustic  would  do  for  the  occasion. 
He  waited  until  the  man  had  finished  unloading 
the  wood,  and  when  he  was  calling  to  his  oxen 
he  sallied  f(jrth  with  two  wooden  swords  and  pro- 

*(Author's   note.)      A   cold   punch    made   of  eggs,   milk,   sugar    and 
brandy. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  243 

posed  a  fencing  bout.  The  cart  man,  confused 
and  humble,  excused  himself  as  best  he  could, 
declaring  that  he  knew  absolutely  nothing  about 
fencing.  Don  Telesforo  insisted  with  vehemence, 
but  did  not  succeed  in  convincing  him.  Finally, 
irritated  by  this  tenacity  in  declining,  he  lost 
patience  and  passing  from  words  to  deeds,  gave 
the  fellow  a  hard  blow  on  his  shoulders.  Then 
he  who  had  been  so  lamb-like,  changed  into  a  lion. 
He  ran  to  the  cart,  seized  a  club  and  rushed  to 
attack  the  irate  gentleman.  The  chronicles  of 
Alajuela  do  not  record  a  greater  cudgelling.  The 
countryman  was  muscular  and  the  club  was  of 
oak. 

When  Don  Telesforo's  wife  returned  from  the 
street,  she  found  him  lying  in  the  patio  with  his 
iiead  bleeding  and  his  ribs  battered,  but  she  could 
never  get  out  of  him  the  truth  about  the  affair. 
She  afterwards  learned  it  from  a  maid  servant 
who  saw  the  misfortune  of  the  gentleman  from 
the  crack  of  a  door. 

The  other  unfortunate  incident  which  T  am 
going  to  narrate  was  a  consequence  of  the  former 
one.  In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  Don  Telesforo,  he 
could  not  prevent  the  thing  from  being  known, 
and  now  nobody  believed  the  story  of  the  fall 
from  his  horse  with  which  he  tried  to  account  for 
the  wounds  ancl  bruises  on  his  body. 

He  was  not  long  in  becoming  aware  of  an  at- 
mosphere of  restrained  ridicule  that  floated  about 
him,  ten  times  more  irritating  than  a  direct 
offence.     The  smiles  of   some,    the   reticence    of 


-44  CUENTOS    TICOS 

Others,  were  like  an  anonymous  and  terrible  buffet 
which  he  could  not  avenge,  because  the  aggressor 
was  not  any  definite  person.  It  was  everybody 
and  yet  nobody.  Alajuela  insulted  Don  Teles- 
foro,  as  Fuenteovejuna  killed  the  knight  com- 
mander of  Calatrava,  all  against  one. 

The  punctilious  cavalier  understood  that  it  was 
most  necessary  to  do  something  very  great  in 
order  to  re-establish  the  reputation  for  valor 
which  he  had  formerly  enjoyed.  Thus  it  was  that 
one  Monday,  which  is  market  day  in  Alajuela, 
Don  Telesforo,  goaded  by  the  desire  to  recover 
what  he  had  lost  by  his  misadventure,  and  perhaps 
also  by  certain  matutinal  drams,  sallied  forth  from 
his  hou=^  jruacalona  in  hand,  and  went  to  place 
himself  in  the  most  frequented  street  in  front  of 
an  adobe  wall  of  no  great  height.  There  he 
planted  himself  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  and 
after  passing  the  tizona*  several  times  along  the 
ground  as  though  to  sharpen  it,  he  roared  in  a 
stentorian  voice: 

"Let  no  one  pass  this  way!" 

Immediately  the  movement  of  traffic  stopped, 
while  the  people,  some  curious,  others  frightened, 
commenced  to  form  in  groups  on  all  sides  to  see 
how  the  matter  was  going  to  end. 

"Let  no  one  pass  this  way!"  shouted  Don 
Telesforo.  flourishing  his  sword.  "And  if  anv 
one  wants  to  pass,  let  him  come  on.  Here  I  wait 
him  with  point,  edge  and  guacal."f 

*The  sword  of  the  Spanish  hero,  El  Cid:  hence,  the  sword  of  a 
hero. 

tCXuthor's  note.)  A  name  formerly  given  to  the  basket  hilt  of 
a  sword  on  account  of  its  resemblance  to  the  cups  and  bowls  made 
from   the  pourds  that   grow  on   the   tree   of  that   name. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  245 

In  vain  the  fierce  swordsman  roared.  Nobody 
dared  to  try  conclusions  with  him. 

"Isn't  there  a  man  for  me?"  he  vociferated, 
growing  even  more  furious. 

Nothing.  Complete  silence.  Don  Telesforo 
now  began  to  retire,  with  more  pride  than  Don 
Rodrigo  at  La  Horca,  when  he  saw  approaching 
him  an  old  man,  mounted  on  a  mule. 

"Let  no  one  pass  this  way !"  bawled  the  cavalier 
again  scraping  his  sword  along  the  ground.  The 
rider,  without  a  change  of  feature,  continued  ad- 
vancing until  he  came  within  two  ])aces  of  the 
madman.  There  he  reined  in  his  mule,  and  with 
a  suave,  calm  voice  said : 

"Sehor,  I  beg  you  to  let  me  pass,  because  I  am 
in  a  great  hurry." 

"Back !  Your  hurry  doesn't  matter,"  replied 
Don  Telesforo  angrily,  threatening  the  breast  of 
the  mule  with  the  point  of  the  guacalona. 

"See  here,  senor,  you  had  better  let  me  pass," 
insisted  the  old  fellow,  who  was  a  countryman  of 
a  robust  aspect. 

"Back,  I  said,  coward!" 

Then  the  old  man  calmly  dismounted  from  his 
mule  and  took  ofif  his  spurs,  tying  them  to  a 
thong  on  his  saddle.  Having  done  this,  leisurely, 
lie  came  towarrl  Don  Telesforo,  who  kept  on 
sending  forth  sparks  and  fire. 

The  two  adversaries  measured  each  other  with 
their  eyes,  the  swordsman  much  excited,  the 
countryman  very  serene;  the  one  brandishing  his 
huge  guacalona,  the  other  armed  with  a  riding 


246  CUENTOS    TICOS 

whip  or  crop  the  stock  of  which  was  of  lignum 
vitae.  Don  Telesforo  launched  a  stroke  at  his  ad- 
versary, but  the  edge  of  his  sword  only  blunted 
itself  against  the  impenetrable  wood.  Agile  and 
flexible  in  spite  of  his  years,  the  old  man  slipped 
from  beneath  the  weapon  and  grasping  Don 
Telesforo  by  the  muscles  of  his  arms,  raised 
him  on  high  with  unlocked  for  strength.  A 
second  later  the  cavalier  was  flying  through  the 
air  and  disappeared  behind  the  adobe  wall.  A 
great  splash  was  heard,  and  after  that, 
nothing. 

The  spectators  of  the  coml)at,  curious  to  learn 
the  stopping  place  of  Don  Telesforo,  ran  to  the 
entrance  of  the  house  to  which  the  wall  belonged, 
but  they  found  the  doors  and  windows  closed,  on 
account  of  the  absence  of  the  owners,  who  were 
in  the  country  for  a  time.  It  was  necessary, 
therefore,  to  send  a  boy  on  horseback  to  get  the 
key,  as,  though  the  wall  was  rather  low  on  the 
side  toward  the  street,  it  was  high  on  the  inside, 
where  it  served  as  the  boundary  for  a  deep  ditch 
whose  waters  were  very  convenient  for  softening 
the  fall  of  Don  Telesforo.  Nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening  was  striking  when  the  doors  of  his  prison 
were  opened.  Friends  and  strangers  waited  his 
coming  out.  They  were  sorrowful  in  outward 
appearance,  dying  of  laughter  within. 

The  unfortunate  cavalier  appeared. 

Ten  years  more  were  painted  on  his  face,  such 
were  the  ravages  of  grief  and  the  rage  which  was 
consuming  him.    Soaked  to  the  skin,  with  his  hair 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  247 

plastered  on  his  skull  and  his  clothing  on  his  body, 
he  was  a  pitiful  sight. 

From  that  disastrous  day  Don  Telesforo 
languished,  and,  tortured  by  the  bitterness  of  his 
remembrance  and  the  recriminations  of  his  wife, 
he  soon  delivered  his  most  noble  soul  to  his  Cre- 
ator. 

And  thus  it  was  that  this  illustrious  cavalier  of 
Alajuela  died. 

May  God  take  him  to  his  glory. 


LOS  GATOS   DEMONIACOS. 

(the  bedevilled  cats.) 

WHEN  dinner  was  over  and  the  cigarettes 
were     lighted,     we     went     out     to     the 
veranda.      Behind   the   bkie   hne   of   the 
mountains  the  sun  was  sinking  into  the  Pacific, 
leaving  behind  it  a  glorious  splendor  which  made 
us  fall   silent  with  admiration.      It  was  a  con- 
flagration of  the  whole  heavens,  an  indescribable 
orgy  of  colors  and   shades,   which  varied   from 
flaming  scarlet  to  the  most  delicate  yellows  and 
greens.     The  atmosphere,  of  a  reddish  tinge  at 
first,  began  to  take  on  a  violet  shade,  which  made 
us   see  things  as  through   a   mist  of  pulverized 
amethysts.     Then  the  magnificent  vision  began 
to  fade  away,  and  we  felt  ourselves  deeply  imbued 
with  the  melancholy  of  the  fields  at  the  hour  of 
evening  twilight.      The    immense    conflagration 
was  extinguished;  one  after  another  the  burning 
cloud  masses  began  to  pale,  dissipating  the  thou- 
sand phantasms  of  the  sky,  islands  of  glowing 
molten  gold  bathed  by  seas  of  turquoise,  floating 
bits  of  tulle,  white  and  undefined  silhouettes  to 
which  the  imagination  gave  capricious  forms  of 
248 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  249 

fantastic  beings  and  animals.  Soon  the  gray 
mist,  forerunner  of  the  night,  arose,  and  at  its 
touch  the  outHne  of  the  landscape  melted  into  a 
sad,  hazy  vagueness.  A  great  silence  weighed 
upon  the  sleeping  earth,  which  the  far-away  low- 
ing of  cattle  in  the  pastures,  or  the  rapid  flight 
of  a  dove  going  to  rest  in  some  tree  with  a  hur- 
ried flapping  of  wings,  interrupted  from  time  to 
time. 

"If  you  want  to  hear  a  few  unlikely  tales" — 
said  Manuel  Diaz,  arousing  me  from  the  ecstatic 
reverie  in  which  the  superb  spectacle  was  holding 
me — "come  and  hear  the  stories  of  Feliciano." 

Feliciano  was  one  of  the  men  servants  who 
accompanied  us  on  that  hunting  expedition  for 
which  the  vacation  of  Holy  Week  and  the  sever- 
ity of  the  Lenten  dinners  served  as  a  pretext.  An 
enthusiastic  hunter,  he  had  no  rival  in  finding 
the  resting  place  of  a  deer,  or  the  hole  of  a  tepez- 
cuintle*;  nor  did  any  one  surpass  him  in  the  art 
of  serving  with  neatness  and  (]es])atcli.  He  was 
a  model  for  servants,  a  jewel.  Serious  and  pru- 
dent, he  had  the  simjjlicity  tr)  believe  thoroughly 
in  the  fabulous  tales  with  which  the  rustic  mind 
likes  to  adorn  everything  pertaining  to  the  chase. 
Feliciano  never  forgot  to  turn  his  gun  barrel 
downward  when  lie  •-hut  a  bird,  an  in(lis])cnsable 
requisite  for  making  it  fall,  nor  to  trace  a  small 
cross  on  the  bullets  so  that  those  privileged  ani- 
mals such  as  deer  which  ba\e  the  stone. f  could 

*Pacn,  Coclngcnys  paca:  a  small  animal  nf  fcntral  anrl  South 
America,    whose    flesh    is   cnnsiflrrccl    a    Rrcat    drlic.ncy. 

t( Author's  note.)  'I  he  |po|iuI.'ir  belief  is  that  some  deer,  usually 
very  old  ones,  are  invnineratile  hy  virtue  of  a  certain  little  Stone 
which   they   have   beneath   their   tongue. 


-'5^  CUENTOS    TICOS 

not  escape  from  them.  His  greatest  desire  was 
to  get  one  of  these  precious  objects,  which  make 
the  fortune  of  those  who  possess  them. 

At  the  moment  when  we  apjiroachecl  the  group 
FeHciano  was  explaining  the  virtues  of  this  taHs- 
man.  According  to  him,  it  was  a  httle  trans- 
parent stone,  within  which  could  l)e  seen  a  deer 
when  one  looked  through  it  against  the  light.  If 
the  animal  appears  lying  down  it  is  a  sign  that 
the  hunter  will  lose  his  time;  when  on  the  con- 
trary it  is  seen  standing,  the  quarry  is  sure.  Un- 
fortunately, as  the  animals  which  have  it  are 
almost  invulnerable,  it  is  very  difficult  to  get  one. 
The  only  thing  Feliciano  had  been  able  to  obtain 
was  an  amulet,  which  he  hoped  v/ould  serve  to 
neutralize  the  effect  of  the  stone. 

He  had  wanted  to  skin  with  his  own  hands 
the  handsome  deer  killed  by  one  of  us  on  the 
morning  of  that  day,  because  he  had  observed 
some  old  bullets  imbedded  in  one  of  the  hind 
quarters,  a  proof  that  the  animal  had  already 
1")een  on  intimate  terms  with  guns;  but  he  could 
find  no  trace  of  the  stone,  for  all  that  he  searched. 
Without  doubt,  the  deer  had  spit  it  out  before 
dying,  as  they  are  accustomed  to  do  when  they 
have  time. 

The  conversation  soon  became  general,  and 
each  one  began  to  tell  his  little  yarn.  That  of 
Manuel  Diaz  was  very  much  applauded.  This 
disciple  of  Nimrod  stated  that  having  once 
waited  many  long  hours  in  ambush  at  the  foot  of 
a  cedar,  he  was  already  beginning  to  despair  of 


f 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  25 1 

getting  a  shot  at  anything  because  the  bark- 
ing of  the  dogs  sounded  very  far  away,  when 
suddenly  he  saw  a  handsome  stag  come  out  of 
a  near-by  thicket.  With  the  quick  decision  of 
the  trained  hunter,  he  aimed,  fired  and  killed  it. 
After  this  exploit,  Manuel  settled  himself  to 
await  the  arrival  of  some  one  of  his  companions 
to  help  him  put  the  animal  on  his  horse,  which 
he  had  left  a  short  distance  away  on  the  other 
side  of  a  small  stream.  After  a  little,  a  country- 
man appeared,  who  was  willing  to  lend  a  hand  to 
the  fortunate  huntsman.  Taking  the  deer  be- 
tween them  by  the  feet,  they  carried  it  to  the 
bank  of  the  stream,  which  was  quite  deep.  There 
they  stopped,  and  finding  it  impossible  to  pass 
the  obstacle  with  the  animal  on  their  backs,  they 
devised  the  plan  of  swinging  it  back  and  forth, 
so  that  with  this  impulse  they  might  toss  it  to 
the  other  bank.  This  they  did.  One,  two,  three 
— zip!  The  deer  flew  through  the  air  and  fell 
on  the  other  side.  But,  Oh,  marvel !  What  a 
portent!  Scarcely  did  it  touch  the  ground,  when, 
like  Anteus,  recovering  new  strength  on  contact 
with  Mother  Earth,  it  began  to  run  as  if  it  had 
never  been  dead. 

Fcliciano  was  the  only  one  who  gave  credit  to 
the  singular  adventure  of  Manuel  Diaz.  Sin- 
cerely convinced,  he  assured  us  that  the  deer  must 
have  been  bewitched  or  possessed  of  a  devil,  be- 
cause there  are  well-known  cases  in  which  ma- 
lignant spirits  have  taken  certain  animals  as  a 
<lwclling-place  for  (licir  jjcrvcrse  souls. 


252  CUENTOS    TICOS 

"I  don't  believe  it,"  replied  Manuel  Diaz. 
"When  has  anyone  seen  an  animal  possessed 
of  a  devil?" 

"It  does  not  have  to  be  seen,"  exclaimed  an 
amateurish  hunter,  who  was  much  more  learned 
in  other  matters  than  in  the  chase,  joining  in  the 
discussion.  "Feliciano  has  much  reason  in  say- 
ing so,  and  in  support  of  his  thesis  I  can  cite  no 
less  a  person  than  Saint  Luke,  who  relates  that 
Jesus  cast  out  certain  demons  from  the  body  of 
an  unfortunate  man  and  transferred  them  to  a 
herd  of  swine,  which  instantly  went  mad.  By 
this  fact  it  is  confirmed  that  there  is  nothing  new 
under  the  sun  and  that,  much  before  the  transfu- 
sion of  blood  was  discovered,  that  of  demons  was 
already  practised.  In  addition  to  this  irrefutable 
example,  history  is  full  of  similar  ones,  and  the 
annals  of  the  Inquisition  could  instruct  us 
minutely  on  this  point.  It  is  well  known  that 
evil  spirits  show  a  marked  predilection  for  people 
and  particularly  for  the  delicate  bodies  of  nuns, 
there  being  frequent  cases  during  the  Middle 
Ages  in  which  entire  convents  of  pious  women 
have  fallen  under  their  dominion.  A  like  thing 
happened  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  cen- 
turies to  the  Ursuline  nuns  of  Aix,  Lille  and 
Loudun;  and  without  going  farther,  in  the  nine- 
teenth century  itself,  an  entire  village,  that  of 
Morzina  in  Savoy,  has  been  known  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  the  spirit  of  Satan.  But  this  prefer- 
ence, certainly  quite  explicable,  does  not  in  any 
way  exclude  the  diabolical  possession    of    irra- 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  253 

tional  beings.  I  remember  that  when  I  was  a 
child  I  heard  a  very  pious  and  respectable  lady 
affirm  that  a  certain  pig  called  Pompey,  that 
knew  how  to  count  and  tell  the  age  of  people, 
was  purely  and  simply  an  animal  possessed  of  a 
devil." 

"I  know  the  history  of  some  cats  which  suf- 
fered from  the  same  misfortune,"  said  another  of 
the  hunters,  "but  I  won't  tell  it,  because  we  have 
to  get  up  very  early  to-morrow  morning  and  it  is 
bed  time  already." 

"Tell  it,  tell   it,"  exclaimed  various  voices. 

"I  will  consent  to  gratify  you  on  condition 
that  we  go  straight  to  bed  afterwards,  for  I  am 
dead  tired." 

The  narrator,  after  throwing  away  the  butt 
of  the  cigar  which  he  was  smoking,  said  as  fol- 
lows : 

"My  father  had  a  fellow  scholar  in  Latin  and 
philosophy,  a  certain  Patrocinio  Martinez,  who, 
as  it  seemed,  was  not  born  for  great  things.  He 
had  a  sufficient  willingness  to  learn,  but  his  lazi- 
ness was  superior  to  his  desire  for  knowledge. 
The  professor,  who  was  imbued  with  Voltairian 
ideas,  said  to  him  one  day.  very  ironically. — 'My 
friend,  you  arc  so  stupid  that  you  will  do  only 
for  a  priest.'  This  sprightly  saying  did  not  fall 
into  a  torn  sack;  the  student  took  orders  and  be- 
came one  of  those  ignorant  priests,  yet  more  vir- 
tuous and  continent  than  the  generality  of  the 
clergy  of  those  times,  who  only  seemed  to  heed 
the  prcccjjt  'increase  and  multiply  yourselves.' 


254  CUENTOS    TICOS 

"Little  sensible  by  nature  to  tlie  temptations, 
his  resistance  to  which  have  made  Saint  Anthony 
a  model  so  difficult  of  imitation,  he  was  less  rigid 
in  regard  to  the  worship  of  the  golden  calf.  The 
generosity  of  the  faithful  permitted  him  to  fill 
his  money  box  with  onzas.  cuartas  and  escudos.* 
Money  that  came  to  his  hands  did  not  again  see 
the  light  of  the  sun,  and  as  robbers  caused  him 
a  deer-like  fear  he  had  the  house  full  of  secret 
and  hidden  places  unknown  even  to  his  house- 
keeper, depository  of  his  confidence  in  everything 
else. 

"When  he  grew  old  and  was  nearing  his 
dotage,  he  developed  a  mania  for  raising  cats. 
He  was  so  extremely  fond  of  them  that  he  was 
never  without  half  a  dozen  of  the  creatures,  and 
he  called  them  nothing  but  'my  sons'  and  'my 
heirs,'  which  did  not  greatly  please  the  house- 
keeper, who  secretly  considered  herself  the 
only  heir  to  the  priest's  fortune,  because  he 
had  no  other  relative  than  a  niece,  a  spinster, 
against  whom  she  took  good  care  to  prejudice 
him  so  that  they  neither  saw  nor  heard  from 
each  other.  Things  did  not  turn  out,  however,  in 
accordance  with  the  desires  of  the  lady,  for  the 
cholera  epidemic  of  1856  took  her  prematurely 
to  a  better  life.  The  curate  also  fell  sick  of  it  but 
he  managed  to  pull  through,  thanks  chiefly  to 
the  care  of  his  niece  who,  charitably  forgetting 
past  ofifences,  came  to  his  aid  at  the  first  news  of 
his  sickness.     When  the  danger  was  passed  uncle 

*Costa  Rican   gold  coins  in  circulation  some   thirty  or   forty  years 
ago. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  255 

and  niece  continued  living  together,  and  although 
the  priest  treated  her  well,  she  thought  she  no- 
ticed in  him  a  certain  coldness  which  she  could 
not  explain  and  which  finally  she  attributed  to 
the  old  man's  doting  fondness  for  cats.  From 
that  moment  there  was  born  in  her  soul  a  resolu- 
tion to  get  rid  of  them;  but  how  was  she  to  do 
it,  considering  that  they  were  the  loved  ones  of 
her  uncle?  To  give  them  poison  was  perilous 
not  only  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  explaining 
their  death,  but  also  from  the  ease  with  which 
the  victims  could  be  replaced.  No,  this  was  not 
the  way  to  reach  the  desired  end.  The  proper 
way  was  to  extirpate  the  evil  at  the  root,  to  drag 
out  from  the  very  soul  of  the  priest  this  cattish 
passion  which  enslaved  him.  a  thing  little  less 
than  impossible  for  one  w^ho  did  not  have  the 
Jesuitical  craft  of  an  Escobar  y  Mendoza,*  or 
the  astuteness  of  a  Talleyrand.  Nevertheless,  as 
there  is  hidrlen  in  the  heart  of  CA^ery  woman  a 
diplomatic  cunning,  the  niece  succeeded  in  gain- 
ing her  end  with  a  stratagem,  a  veritable  master- 
piece of  womanly  acumen. 

"In  the  house  oi  the  priest,  always  heretofore 
so  quiet,  disturbances  began  to  be  Iicanl  witli  an 
accompaniment  of  mewings  and  catcrwaulings  as 
though  the  seven  cats  of  his  worshij)  were  deliv- 
ered over  to  sinful  amusements.  But  these  rows 
<^»ccurrcd  r)nly  in  the  al)sence  of  Don  Patrocinio 
when  the  floors  and  windows  were  closed.  At 
the  same  time  the  niece  was  as  sweet  as  honey 

•;.    famous    .Spanish   Jesuit. 


256  CUENTOS    TICOS 

with  the  pussies,  in  the  presence  of  her  uncle;  yet 
they,  with  the  ingratitude  characteristic  of  their 
race,  did  not  for  that  reason  depart  from  the 
aversion  with  which  they  had  regarded  her  from 
the  beginning.  Every  time  that  the  curate  re- 
turned from  the  street  he  found  her  laughing, 
with  her  eyes  sparkling  mischievously,  and  ap- 
plauding some  prank  of  the  interesting  little  ani- 
mals. To  give  credit  to  her  accounts  they  lacked 
only  the  gift  of  speech,  for  they  did  things  which 
left  her  open-mouthed  with  admiration,  doubting 
that  these  could  be  irrational  beings.  The  priest 
listened  with  pleasure  to  the  tales  of  his  niece. 
Everything  relating  to  his  proteges  interested  him 
greatly,  and  even  the  no  slight  damage  that  they 
caused  in  the  house  made  him  laugh.  What  then 
must  have  been  his  surprise  when,  on  coming 
from  saying  mass  one  morning,  he  found  the 
spinster  much  excited,  crossing  herself  and  de- 
claring with  great  consternation  that  his  adored 
cats  were  possessed  of  devils.  When  the  surprise 
of  the  first  moment  had  passed  he  flew  into  a 
passion  and  ordered  her  to  be  silent,  calling  her 
crazy,  and  other  pretty  things. 

"  'May  God  forgive  me,'  she  replied  very  hum- 
bly, 'but  it  is  as  true  as  that  you  are  a  saint.^ 
This  had  more  effect  on  Don  Patrocinio,  who  con- 
sented to  listen  to  the  reasons  which  his  niece 
had  for  believing  in  the  demoniacal  possession 
of  the  cats.  The  spinster  then  told  him  that  they 
could  not  hear  the  names  of  sacred  persons  and 
things  w^ithout  behaving  like  beings  under  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  257 

power  of  Satan,  which  could  in  no  way  be 
natural. 

"  'Is  it  possible.'  exclaimed  the  priest,  much 
alarmed. 

"  'Say  a  benediction  before  them  and  you  will 
see.' 

"Don  Patrocinio  could  not  be  convinced  of 
what  his  niece  affirmed  with  so  much  tenacity, 
nevertheless  when  he  reflected,  while  waiting  for 
the  breakfast  hour,  he  began  to  remember  some 
of  the  extraordinary  and  uncanny  actions  of  the 
cats,  and  this  gave  him  something  to  think  about. 
In  fact  it  was  neither  logical  nor  sensible  to  sup- 
pose that  mere  animals  could  have  so  much 
genius  and  talent. 

"The  desired  hour  came  at  last,  and  the  priest 
seated  himself  at  the  table  in  front  of  a  fried 
e^g  on  an  old-fashioned  earthen-ware  ])late.  Of 
the  seven  cats  three  were  missing,  but  they  were 
not  long  in  coming,  and  all  arranged  themselves 
about  their  master,  as  was  their  custom,  with 
their  i)Ui)ils  fixed  on  him  in  the  hope  of  some  little 
mouthful.  Then  Don  Patrocinio  rose  u])  and 
after  crossing  himself,  commenced  to  ])ray  in  a 
loud  voice : 

"  'Praised  anrl  blessed  be  the  most  holy 
Sarca — ,'  but  he  said  no  more,  l)ecause  he 
stopped  in  wonder  at  the  prodigious  effect  which 
these  words  liad  on  the  pussies.  It  was  a  wild 
flight,  a  general  "save  himself  who  can.'  Those 
that  could  not  get  out  of  the  door  jum])ed 
through  the  window.  The  seven  disappeared  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 


258  CUENTOS    TICOS 

"  'Are  you  convinced  now  ?'  cried  the  niece 
from  the  doorway. 

"The  priest,  horrified,  murmured  between  his 
teeth  some  Latin  phrases : 

"  'Exi,  anathema,  non  remaneas  nee  absconda- 
ris  in  ulla  compagine  membrorum — '  There  he 
stopped,  for  he  could  not  remember  the  rest  of 
the  exorcism.  For  three  days  the  poor  man 
walked  about  with  bowed  head,  searching  for  the 
sohition  of  the  problem.  Several  times  he  re- 
peated the  experiment  of  saying  a  benediction 
before  the  cats,  but  always  with  the  same  bad 
result. 

"Finally  he  decided  to  pronounce  the  sentence, 
and  one  afternoon  the  sacristan  hung  all  the 
seven,  with  the  aid  of  the  spinster,  who  could 
hardly  contain  herself  for  joy. 

"Some  years  afterward  the  priest  died  of  a 
stroke  of  apoplexy,  carrying  to  the  tomb  his  sor- 
row for  the  loss  of  his  beloved  cats,  and  the  secret 
of  his  treasure,  which  the  niece  wore  herself  out 
in  searching  for,  but  in  vain. 

"When  she  in  her  turn  was  at  death's  door,  it 
seems  that  she  confessed,  contritely,  to  relieve 
her  conscience,  that  she  had  inspired  the  poor  ani- 
mals with  that  horror  of  the  Most  Holy  One  by 
invoking  his  name  at  the  same  time  that  she 
flogged  them  without  mercy." 

As  it  was  told  to  me,  thus  I  tell  it  to  you,  dear 
reader. 


EL    CLAVEL. 
(the  pink.) 

EMILIA  awoke  at  daybreak,  feverish  and 
exhausted.  She  had  had  no  rest  during 
the  night,  turning  over  in  her  bed  and  not 
losing  consciousness  for  an  instant,  prisoner  of  a 
great  mental  agitation.  Her  head  ached,  her  ears 
buzzed  and  her  skin  was  feverish.  She  made  ef- 
forts of  will  to  fall  asleep,  but  could  not  succeed 
in  doing  so.  One  single  thought  assaulted  her 
with  exasperating  tenacity,  i)lanting  itself  deep  in 
her  brain  and  driving  out  all  others.  Tired  of 
struggling  she  finally  yielded  herself  up  con- 
quered by  the  enslaving  idea.  Then  there 
reigned  in  her  mind  the  fascinating  person  of 
Carlos  Gutierrez.  It  was  a  continuous  struggle, 
a  siege  that  she  had  tried  in  vain  to  withstand, 
guided  by  her  goo^J  judgment  and  her  native  seri- 
ousness which  put  her  on  guard  against  an  affair 
in  every  way  dangerous.  The  ine(|uality  of  birth 
and  position  between  them  was  too  great  for  an 
alliance  to  be  possible.  lunilia  comj^rchended  it 
too  well  with  her  clear  discernment  and  short  but 
certain  experience  of  social  distinctions,  acquired 

259 


26o  CUENTOS    TICOS 

by    contact    ^vith    her    companions    in    tlie    col- 
lege. 

On  the  other  hand,  she  A\as  not  the  woman  to 
lend  herself  to  amorous  pastimes  and  frivolities. 
Neither  her  dignity  nor  her  pride  would  tolerate 
it.  It  is  true  that  Carlos  seemed  sincere,  but  how- 
ever he  might  be,  the  prudent  course  for  the  pres- 
ent was  to  maintain  the  most  absolute  reserve  and 
to  make  no  sign  that  could  reveal  to  the  young 
man  the  state  of  her  mind. 

These  and   other  very   discreet   thoughts    ran 
through    her    well-balanced    little   head;    but   no 
sooner  had  her  heart  seized  the  baton,  than  her 
good  resolves  vanished  instantly,  and  her  prudent 
reflections  changed    to    flattering    fancies    which 
made  the  secret  longing  of  her  soul  seem  possible 
of  attainment.    Through  the  prism  of  her  illusions 
the  obstacles  that  separated  her  from  Carlos  ap- 
peared   less    insurmountable     than     cold     reason 
would  represent  them;  for  if  he  belonged  to  an 
aristocratic  and  i)roud  family  she  had  no  cause  to 
be  ashamed  of  her  own,  modest  it  is  true,  but  of  a 
respectability  without  blemish.     Her  father  was 
considered  the  leading  citizen  of  the  village  and 
was  a  wealtliy  man,  things  which  were  not  in  the 
least  to  be  des])ised.     Moreover,  on  her  mother's 
side  she  was  related    by    marriage   to   people   of 
consequence.  Passing  from  these  general  consider- 
ations to  those  which  directly  concerned  her  per- 
son, she  could  not  deny  that  she  felt  satisfied  with 
herself.    There  was  no  doubt  that  she  was  pretty. 
Her  mirror  proved  that  beyond  question,  as  also 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


261 


did  the  admiring  glances  of  the  men  who  always 
turned  repeatedly  to  look  as  she  passed,  irresist- 
ibly attracted  by  her  charm.  Judging  with  im- 
partiality she  considered  herself  intelligent  and 
of  pleasing  manners ;  she  felt  that  she  had  the 
power  to  rise  to  a  higher  plane  in  the  social  scale 
than  the  one  she  had  until  then  occupied;  yet 
more  than  all  she  was  flattered  by  one  recollec- 
tion, the  most  pleasing  to  her  feminine  vanity, 
which  was,  so  to  speak,  the  decisive  proof,  the 
ratification  of  her  beauty. 

Some  months  before  she  had  been  in  the  na- 
tional theatre  of  San  Jose,  with  the  object  of 
seeing  the  theatre  and  hearing  an  opera  company 
of  considerable  fame.  Much  embarrassed  by  the 
novelty  of  the  spectacle  and  the  brilliancy  of  the 
audience,  she  had  been  careful  to  remain  in 
the  rear  of  the  box.  in  spite  of  the  request  of  her 
friends  who  accompanied  her;  nevertheless  many 
scrutinizing  c)pera  glasses  searched  her  out  even 
there,  and  remained  fixed  on  her  a  long  while. 
During  an  intermission  they  went  out  to  take  a 
turn  in  the  corridors  and  the  foyer,  where  her 
presence  caused  a  rijjple  of  curiosity  and  admira- 
tion among  the  sjjcctators. 

Afterwards  she  heard  that  many  persons  had 
inquired  about  the  beautiful  unknown.  This 
revelation  of  the  power  of  her  attractions  awoke 
in  her  the  shmibering  vanity  of  a  ])rctty  woman, 
and  caused  to  spring  up  in  licr  soul  tlic  secret 
<!esire  for  new  triumj)hs.  Her  father,  however, 
although    sufficiently    rich    to    live    comfortably. 


262  CUENTOS    TICOS 

even  luxuriously,  in  the  capital,  never  cared  to 
leave  the  place  of  his  birth,  where  he  was  es- 
teemed and  liked  and  was  a  person  of  importance. 
She  and  her  mother  would  have  preferred  to 
move  to  San  Jose,  the  city  which  to  them  seemed 
to  be  the  emporium  of  pleasure,  the  little  Paris 
of  which  all  those  who  have  never  gone  out  of 
our  little  fatherland  dream. 

It  had  been  hard  for  Emilia  to  accustom  herself 
to  country  life  after  passing  four  years  in  the  capi- 
tal attending  the  "Higher  College  for  Senoritas," 
where  she  had  received  very  careful  instruction 
which  would  probably  prove  more  prejudicial 
than  helpful  in  case  she  should  marry  a  man  of 
her  own  station,  on  whom  she  would  be  inclined 
to  look  as  an  inferior,  the  inevitable  result  of  an 
unequal  education.  She  thus  foresaw  it  and  doubt- 
less this  was  the  reason  why  she  decidedly  re- 
fused the  best  catches  of  the  village  who  made 
haste  to  pay  court  to  her  on  her  return  to  the 
paternal  roof.  Rather  arrogant  and  proud,  she 
took  little  pleasure  in  their  friendship  because 
she  had  become  unused  to  rustic  crudeness.  which 
now  annoyed  her.  Thus  it  was  that  she  culti- 
vated friendly  relations  with  a  half  dozen  persons 
who  were  the  social  cream  of  the  village.  She 
was  very  seldom  seen  on  the  street  or  at  her  win- 
dow, and  although  very  fond  of  reading,  novels 
made  very  little  impression  on  her  tranquil,  self- 
contained  and  peaceful  imagination,  for  she  was 
not  romantic.  Aside  from  a  few  harmless  flirta- 
tions during  the  time  that  she  lived  in  San  Jose  at 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  265 

the  house  of  a  relative,  she  had  given  ear  to  no 
suit,  much  less  had  been  in  love  with  any  one, 
until  the  day  on  which  she  saw  Carlos  Gutierrez 
for  the  first  time. 

The  family  of  this  young  man  owned  a  coffee 
hacienda*  in  the  vicinity  of  the  village,  where  each 
year  they  spent  a  season  of  three  months.  The 
fathers  of  Emilia  and  Carlos  had  known  each 
other  for  a  long  time  as  proprietors  of  adjoining 
lands,  and  never  failed  to  visit  each  other  once  or 
twice  during  the  summer.  Thus  some  neighborly 
intercourse  had  sprung  up  between  the  wives  of 
both,  and  later  on  between  Emilia  and  Hortensia, 
the  sister  of  Carlos.  The  latter  Emilia  had  never 
seen  until  recently,  as  he  had  been  in  Germany  for 
many  years  studying  medicine.  What  a  deep  im- 
pression the  day  on  which  she  met  him,  while  pay- 
ing a  visit  to  the  hacienrla.  made  on  her!  From 
the  first  moment  she  felt  herself  conquered,  sub- 
jugated by  his  graceful  bearing  and  his  frank 
and  cordial  manners.  Making  calls  ordinarily 
wearied  her,  but  that  day  she  wished  that  her 
mother's  visit  might  never  end.  and  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  it  was  long,  as  her  mother's  usually 
were,  it  scorned  very  short.  Moreover  it  was  pro- 
longed a  while  because  1  fortensia  and  Carlos 
took  the  tronblc  to  accitiiipany  them  some  distance 
on  their  road  until  tlic\'  were  near  the  \illage. 

Afterwards  she  bad  seen  the  young  doctor 
rather  frcf|ucntly;  on  Sunday  when  she  came 
out  from  nia'^s,  or  when  be  was  passing  her  bouse 
on  horseback  going  to  the  hacienda,  or  rcturn- 

*An   estate   or   pl.inf.ifion. 


266  CUENTOS    TICOS 

ing  to  the  city,  since  it  was  his  custom  to  come 
on  Saturday  afternoon  and  return  to  his  business 
early  on  Monday.  What  a  fine  way  he  had  of 
saluting,  how  gracefully  and  elegantly  he  took  off 
his  hat !  It  must  be  that  princes  uncovered  in 
that  manner.  At  various  times  he  stopped  to  talk 
with  her  and  her  mother,  always  leaving  them 
charmed  with  the  nobleness  of  his  address. 

Emilia  noticed  from  the  first  day  that  Carlos 
looked  at  her  with  interest.  At  each  new  meeting 
this  feeling  was  more  pronounced;  notwithstand- 
ing, she  kept  from  doing  or  saying  anything  that 
could  make  it  evident  that  she  had  noticed  it.  A 
little  after  this  famous  visit  she  received  an  invi- 
tation from  Hortensia  to  eat  melcochas*  with 
them.  Before  deciding  to  accept  it  she  hesitated 
a  good  deal,  because  she  realized  the  danger  of 
abandoning  herself  to  the  budding  inclination 
which  was  stirring  in  her  breast.  At  length,  in 
spite  of  the  counsels  of  prudence,  deceiving 
herself  bv  sophisms  and  subtle  arguments,  she 
allowed  herself  to  be  carried  by  the  imperious 
desire  of  seeing  Carlos. 

When  she  arrived  at  the  hacienda  she  found  a 
good  many  people  there,  on  account  of  its  being 
the  birthday  of  Hortensia.  In  addition  to  several 
families  who  were  spending  the  summer  on 
neighboring  estates,  a  number  of  young  friends, 
all  very  elegant,  had  come  by  coach  from  San 
Jose.  Emilia,  who  was  not  prepared  for  such  an 
occasion,  felt  rather  ashamed  in  the  presence  of 

•A    confection    much    resembling    molasses    candy. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  267 

such  elegant,  haughty  dames,  who  looked  at  her 
with  a  mocking  curiosity  without  speaking,  and 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  kindness  of  Carlos,  who 
consoled  her  with  caricatures  of  the  impertinences 
of  those  ladies,  she  would  have  passed  an  even 
more  disagreeable  time;  the  young  man,  however, 
paid  her  marked  attention,  waiting  on  her  and 
courting  her  with  marked  preference,  which  gave 
cause  for  whisperings  and  malicious  gossiping. 
After  refreshments,  which  were  served  under  a 
wide  spreading  higueron,*  the  young  ladies  and 
the  gallants  of  San  Jose  began  to  romp  like  chil- 
dren much  to  the  surprise  of  Emilia,  who  was  not 
yet  familiar  with  the  license  that  people  of  high 
position  are  accustomed  to  take  on  such  occasions. 
When  they  were  tired  of  running  and  acting  like 
mad  creatures,  they  decided  to  return  to  the 
house  where  dinner  was  awaiting  them.  When 
that  was  over  they  improvised  a  merry  dance, 
which  was  the  conclusion  of  the  festival. 

Emilia,  who  danced  poorly  was  unwilling 
to  yield  to  the  requests  of  Carlos  to  dance  with 
him,  for  she  was  not  the  woman  to  consent 
to  appear  at  a  disadvantage  before  those  rivals 
whose  waltzing  was  a  dream.  In  {]]\^  and  many 
other  things  they  outshone  hc-r;  it  was  useless  to 
deny  it.  On  the  other  hand,  nf)t  one  of  them 
was  so  pretty  as  she.  Tt  might  not  be  modest  to 
think  thus,  but  tlie  truth  before  everything.  About 
ten  o'clock  the  i)arty  broke  up.  at  the  instance  of 
the  mammas,  who,  witli  inndi  (Jirficiilty.  managed 

•Giant    fifr-trcc.     A    splendid    shade    tree   of   the    tropics. 


268  CUENTOS    TICOS 

to  gather  their  flocks  and  put  them  in  the  carriages 
after  the  interminable  chattering  and  kiss- 
ing of  leavetaking.  The  famihes  Hving  on  neigh- 
boring haciendas  departed  on  horseback.  Only 
Emilia,  whose  home  was  so  close  by,  returned  on 
foot.  Her  father  had  come  for  her,  but  Carlos 
wished  by  all  means  to  go  with  her  to  her  house. 

The  recollection  of  that  nocturnal  walk,  in 
company  with  the  young  man,  moved  her  deeply. 
Even  the  smallest  details  had  engraved  them- 
selves on  her  memory  and  were  still  there  palpi- 
tating with  life.  A  faint  light  came  down  from 
the  star-spangled  sky,  permitting  them  to  see 
merely  the  white  surface  of  the  road;  the  locusts 
and  other  insects  chirped  and  hummed  in  the 
ditches,  and  the  glowworms  and  fireflies  danced  in 
the  obscurity,  which  was  impregnated  with  the 
voluptuous  breath  of  slumbering  flowers.  Her 
father  led  the  way  and  showed  them  the  bad 
places.  She  and  Carlos  followed,  arm  in  arm, 
silent  and  subdued  on  finding  themselves  so  near 
each  other  in  the  mystery  of  the  night  which  gave 
them  a  disturbing  feeling  of  complete  solitude. 
Near  a  little  bridge  which  they  had  to  cross,  they 
saw  a  pair,  also  arm  in  arm,  disappear  in  the 
darkness  of  a  grove  of  trees. 

"They  must  be  lovers,"  murmured  Carlos  in 
her  ear.  "Happy  man,"  he  added  with  a  sigh. 
She  said  nothing,  but  in  her  breast  an  impas- 
sioned voice  replied  very  softly,  "Happy  girl." 

All  this  had  happened  a  week  before,  and  since 
then  Emilia  had  had  no  rest  nor  another  thought. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  269 

Things  had  come  to  such  a  pass  that  a  solution  of 
some  kind  was  necessary;  if  she  admitted  the  fact 
that  Carlos  was  paying  court  to  her  it  was  im- 
perative that  he  make  a  clear  and  final  declaration 
of  his  purpose;  or  if  not,  that  she  must  cut  off  all 
intercourse  with  him  and  his  family,  in  order  to 
repair  the  harm  while  there  was  yet  time.  The 
difficulty  lay  in  knowing  which  of  these  two 
courses  was  the  most  proper  and  suitable.  This  di- 
lemma had  caused  to  be  born  in  the  soul  of  Emilia 
an  incessant  conflict  which  held  her  in  suspense 
and  robbed  her  of  sleep.  Already  the  evening, 
when  after  much  reflection  she  had  resolved  to 
follow  the  counsels  of  sane  reason,  had  seen  all 
her  good  purposes  weaken  on  the  receipt  of  a  note 
from  Hortensia  inviting  her  to  a  horseback  ex- 
cursion for  the  following  day. 

Nevertheless  prudence  triuni])lic(l,  and  ^lic  had 
sorrowfully  declined  tbe  invitatinn.  jjlcading  bad 
health,  which  tlie  weariness  that  was  painted  on 
her  face  made  to  seem  credible.  Unfortunately 
Carlos  passed  by  in  the  afternoon  at  the  moment 
when  she  was  going  casually  to  her  window.  But 
wlio  could  say  with  certainty  tliat  tlic  coincidence 
was  all  from  cliancc?  She  herself  did  not  know 
nor  could  slie  have  given  an  exact  account  of  how 
she  went  there;  mechanically  may  be,  perhaps  im- 
pelled in  spite  of  herself  by  an  irresistible  desire. 
The  young  doctor  talked  to  her  of  the  iirojected 
excursion,  sjiowing  his  opposition  visililv  when 
he  heard  tliat  Emilia  would  not  take  j)art  in  it. 
He  was  insistent  in  his  demands  tliat  she  change 


270  CUENTOS    TICOS 

her  mind,  and  finally  she  promised  him  that  she 
would  go  if  she  should  feel  better  on  the  follow- 
ing morning;  to  inform  him  of  which  they  agreed 
to  see  each  other  on  coming  out  from  mass. 

"Don't  worry,"  he  said  to  her  coaxingly,  as  he 
was  leaving.     "If  you  are  sick,  I'll  cure  you." 
Hardly  had  the  young  man   gone  on  his  way 
when  Emilia  felt  humiliated  and  angry  with  her- 
self.      Was  it  that  she  had    so    little    will    and 
strength  of  character  that  she  could  not  resist  the 
fascination  that. this    man    exercised    over    her? 
Hidden  behind  a  window   she   watched   him    go 
away,  sitting  well  on  his  spirited  horse,   and   her 
heart  went  after  him.    But  the  idea  that  perhaps 
he  considered  her  a    mere    summer    pastime,    a 
trinket  that  is  thrown  away  when  it  amuses  no 
more,  awoke  in  her  the  old  plebeian  hatred  of  the 
aristocrat,  an  inexorable     feeling    made    up    of 
humiliation  and  envy.     Notwithstanding  that  this 
supposition  was  intolerable  to    her    self-esteem, 
there  was  still   another  much  more  unliearable; 
yet  the  possibility  of  such  an  outrageous  thing 
she  did  not  wish  even  to  consider.     Her  whole 
being  protested  against  it.     Carlos,  a  gentleman 
so  high-minded  and  honorable,  was  incapable  of 
entertaining  such  a  project.     Nevertheless,  who 
can  trust  in  men  when  even  those  who  seem  most 
chivalrous  have  no    scruple    in    shamefully     de- 
ceiving a  poor  woman?     The  recent  misfortune 
of  a  very  beautiful  cousin  of  hers,  who  had  lost 
her  honor  through  having  believed  in  the  prom- 
ises of  a  young  man  belonging  to  the  very  flower 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2/1 

of  San  Jose  society,  was  a  good  proof  that  no  one 
is  to  be  trusted. 

From  time  to  time  an  internal  voice  interrupted 
her,  mockingly,  by  saying  that  all  this  philosophy 
lacked  point  considering  that  Carlos  had  not  once 
said  that  he  loved  her.  This  was  all  true  enough, 
yet  it  was  not  less  true  that  he  made  it  plain 
by  a  thousand  exquisite  attentions  and  a  studied 
reticence  as  significant  as  the  most  frank  declara- 
tion. Moreover  that  could  not  now  be  long  in 
coming.  Emilia  foresaw  it;  many  times  she  had 
seen  it  trembling  on  Carlos's  lips,  awaiting  mere- 
ly a  glance  or  a  gesture  on  her  part ;  but  she,  far 
from  calling  it  forth,  had  always  managed  to 
elude  it. 

This  multitude  of  opposing  ideas,  born  of  her 
feeling  of  self-respect  and  tlie  love  which  Carlos 
inspired  in  her,  had  been  the  cause  of  her  sleep- 
lessness of  the  night  before.  For  all  that  she 
racked  her  brains  in  search  of  a  fit  solution  of  the 
I)rr)b]cm  sbc  bad  been  able  to  decide  on  none; 
rather,  the  confusion  of  her  mind  was  constantly 
increasing.  Finally  she  decided  to  get  up.  As 
sbe  {)ut  her  feet  on  the  fl(jor  she  felt  a  giddiness 
and  a  violent  i)ain  in  lier  bead,  a  consequence  of 
tbe  excited  state  of  bcr  nervous  system.  y\  cold 
l)atb  was  necessary  to  calm  her.  With  veritable 
deliglu  I'"inilia  put  Iier  burning  bands  into  tbe 
sootbing  water,  at  contact  witli  wbicli  sbe  cruild 
feel  tbat  tbe  fever  parcliing  her  skin  was  growing 
less. 

Suddcnlv,  witbout  effort,  sbe  saw  tbe  situation 


2']2  CUENTOS    TICOS 

clearly.  She  could  receive  no  courtship  from 
Carlos  unless  he  should  make  known  clearly  and 
detinitely  the  intention  of  making  her  his  wife. 
This  her  honor  and  the  circumstances  in  which 
they  both  were  placed  required.  Therefore  tlie 
beginning  of  the  intimacy  that  had  been  estab- 
lished between  them  must  cease  at  once,  together 
with  her  visits  to  the  hacienda,  so  as  to  oblige 
him  to  come  to  her  house  in  search  of  her  if  he 
really  esteemed  and  cared  for  her  sufficiently  to 
marry  her  in  spite  of  the  inequality  of  birth. 

.  Having  come  to  this  decision,  Emilia  quickly 
began  her  toilet,  for  it  was  nearly  the  hour  for 
the  only  mass  that  w^as  celebrated  in  the  village. 
While  she  was  combing  before  her  mirror,  the 
wavy  and  abundant  hair,  which  crowned  her  brow 
like  a  helmet  of  polished  ebony,  she  smiled 
with  satisfaction  at  the  distinction  of  her  face. 
Her  velvety  black  eyes  seemed  larger  than  ever 
in  the  midst  of  the  shadows  that  sleeplessness  and 
fatigue  had  placed  about  them.  Her  small  mouth 
with  its  red  and  rather  full  lips  looked  as  tempting 
as  some  ripe  fruit  beneath  her  fine  straight  nose. 
She  was  truly  beautiful,  not  so  much  by  reason  of 
classic  lines,  but  rather  the  delightful  harmony 
of  every  i)art,  the  smooth  freshness  of  the  skin 
and  the  smallness  of  the  ears  of  irreproachable 
form. 

It  cannot  be  positively  stated  that  Emilia  heard 
the  mass  with  devotion.  The  light  colored  cos- 
tume of  Hortensia,  kneeling  near  the  principal 
altar,  distracted  her  and  reminded  her  constantly 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA 


273 


of  things  that  do  not  harmonize  with  the  abstrac- 
tion needful  in  attending  divine  service.  She  felt 
that  her  resolution  was  not  now  so  firm  and  began 
to  fear  the  moment  of  her  interview  with  Carlos 
who  surely  would  try  to  dissuade  her  from  her 
purpose.     This  indeed  he  did.     He  was  awaiting 


A    vii.i.ac:e  crM'RCH 


her  on  the  church  steps,  and  his  first  words 
were  to  declare  that,  if  she  stayed  at  home  neither 
would  he  go  to  the  i)icnic.  Afterwards  liortcnsia 
came  uj)  to  unite  her  petitions  with  those  of 
Carlos,  and  even  his  mother  herself  took  a  hand  in 
the  matter,  assuring  her  that  her  inflisposilion 
was  of  no  consequence  since  it  was  no  more  than 


-'74  CUENTOS    TICOS 

a  little  headache  which  would  be  cured  by  the 
air  and  exercise.  Everything  was  conspiring 
against  her.  It  was  a  fatality  before  which  she 
must  bow. 

The  plaza  of  the  village  had  been  decided  on  as 
the  meeting  place.  As  soon  as  the  invited  com- 
pany had  arrived,  they  all  set  out  together  for 
their  destination,  a  very  picturesque  spot  situated 
on  the  bank  of  a  river  some  three  hours  distant  on 
horseback.  Emilia  rode  along  rather  taciturn  at 
seeing  herself  thus  overruled  in  her  resolution. 
Carlos  placed  himself  at  her  side  and  did  not  leave 
her  during  the  whole  ride,  repeatedly  praising  her 
for  the  skill  with  which  she  managed  her  horse, 
and  saying  many  endearing  and  extravagant 
things  which  soon  dispelled  her  ill-humor. 

The  road,  rough  and  stony,  was  quite  deserted, 
as  it  was  Sunday.  Here  and  there  they  passed  a 
miserable  hut,  almost  always  with  door  closed  in 
the  absence  of  its  occupants  who  had  gone  to  the 
neighboring  village  to  hear  mass,  to  buy,  and 
above  all  to  take  their  little  drams.  The  dogs 
which  had  stayed  to  watch  it  barked  at  the 
trampling  of  the  horses  and  ran  after  them  until 
a  lash  from  a  whip  made  them  turn  back  howling. 
Upon  the  trees  of  the  hedges  the  purple  orchids 
unfolded  their  amethyst  vestments,  and  the 
branches  of  the  coffee  trees  hung  drooping  and 
withered  from  the  recent  picking  and  the  rigor  of 
the  dry  season.  The  pastures  were  getting  yel- 
low, completely  shorn  of  green  things,  and  the 
unhappy   cattle  maintained   a   fruitless   struggle 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2/5 

searching  for  fresh  blades  of  grass  to  assuage  the 
pangs  of  hunger.  The  thirsty  earth  was  awaiting 
with  impatience  the  coming  of  the  rainy  season. 

They  halted  at  the  edge  of  a  clear  crystalline 
stream  in  the  cool  shade  of  a  wide-spreading  tree. 
The  horses  drank  eagerly,  and  the  men  dis- 
mounted to  overlook  the  ladies'  saddles,  tighten- 
ing the  cinch  of  one,  adjusting  the  stirrup  of 
another.  Perhaps  there  was  also  some  stealthy 
pressing  of  small,  well-shod  feet,  although  we 
dare  not  affirm  it  positively  not  having  seen  it,  as 
neither  did  Hortensia's  aunt,  a  lady  of  some 
forty  years  who  played  the  ungrateful  part  of 
duenna. 

The  descent  to  the  river  was  difficult  and  dan- 
gerous, along  a  steep  trail  shut  in  by  thorny  bram- 
bles, which,  with  much  discourtesy  jilucked  at  the 
skirts  and  hats  of  the  ladies.  It  was  finally  ac- 
comj'lished  without  mishap,  in  the  midst  of  much 
laughter  and  many  feminine  exclamations  and 
little  shrieks  of  terror  more  feigned  than  real. 
Below,  the  river  formed  a  pool  at  the  foot  of  an 
enormous  perpendicular  cliff  which  raised  itself 
from  the  o])posite  shore  like  a  cyclopcan  wall, 
crowned  with  trees  whose  l>ranches  projected 
over  the  depths  below  and  shaded  them.  A  little 
beyond,  the  waters  rushed  down  the  shru-]) 
descent  of  the  river-bed  boiling  among  the  round 
shining  rocks  that  tried  to  block  the  way. 

On  a  little  sanfly  beach,  covered  as  by  an 
awning  with  overspreading  branches,  breakfast, 
which  had  been  brought  ahead  of  them  by  the 


2/6  CUENTOS    TICOS 

men  servants,  was  awaiting  them.  Since  appetites 
were  keen,  all  hailed  it  with  enthusiasm.  From 
the  water,  where  they  had  been  placed  to  cool, 
emerged  bottles  of  wine  and  beer;  from  the  saddle 
bags  came  fried  chickens,  ham,  plump  roasts  of 
beef,  and  preserves,  all  very  nicely  wrapped  up  in 
plantain  leaves,  which  have  the  virtue  of  giving 
to  eatables  a  delicious  flavor.  All  seated  them- 
selves as  best  they  could,  with  exquisite  discom- 
fort, the  gentlemcxi  gallantly  serving  the  ladies. 
As  there  was  more  than  one  pair  of  lovers  the 
necessity  and  fitness  of  the  aunt's  respectable 
presence  is  explained,  even  though  it  were  but  to 
comply  with  the  requisites  of  propriety. 

When  their  appetites  had  been  satisfied  the 
company  broke  up  little  by  little  into  small  groups 
or  isolated  couples.  Emilia  did  not  care  to  be 
separated  from  the  lady  who  chaperoned  the 
young  people,  for  she  was  unwilling  to  give  a 
chance  for  more  courting  on  the  part  of  Carlos. 
He,  who  surely  was  expecting  something  differ- 
ent, was  quite  put  out,  going  away  and  sitting 
down  on  a  rock.  He  stayed  there  some  time, 
looking  mournfully  at  the  movements  of  the  water 
and  the  flittings  of  the  birds  that  came  to  bathe 
and  drink,  though  frightened  by  the  unaccus- 
tomed presence  of  people  in  that  spot  ordinarily  so 
peaceful.  Finally,  wearying  of  being  alone,  he 
again  joined  the  group  presided  over  by  his  aunt, 
which  was  by  far  the  most  serious  of  all.  In  spite 
of  his  bad  humor  he  could  not  but  admire  Emilia, 
truly  adorable  in  that  rustic  setting,  which  suited 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2// 

wonderfully  well  the  character  of  her  ripe  beauty 
which  if  it  lacked  that  aristocratic  elegance,  the 
fruit  of  a  series  of  cultured  generations,  was  not 
for  that  reason  less  charming.  Some  of  the  girls 
set  out  to  search  for  flowers  and  plants  while 
Hortensia  directed  the  opening  of  some  jars  of 
preserved  fruits  and  other  dainties  for  luncheon. 
A  very  young  and  enterprising  gentleman  stirred 
up  quite  an  excitement  by  saying  that  he  had  dis- 
covered grains  of  gold  in  the  sand  of  the  river, 
and  walked  from  group  to  group  showing  a 
handful  of  it  in  which  some  little  flakes  could 
really  be  seen  shining  like  diminutive  spangles. 
The  March  sun*  justified  its  reputation  by  main- 
taining a  suffocating  temperature  in  spite  of  the 
shade  and  coolness  of  the  river. 

Carlos,  after  hovering  a  while  near  Emilia, 
who  always  kept  close  by  the  aunt,  finally  seated 
himself  at  her  side.  He  was  conversing  with  her 
when  Hortensia  came  up  to  offer  them  some 
grapes  and  peaches.  She  was  accompanied  by  a 
fastidious  young  lady  who  used  rouge  too 
freely,  and  was  accustomed  to  look  with  friendly 
eyes  on  the  young  doctor.  He  did  not  care  to 
take  anything  that  his  sister  offered  him.  Then 
her  com]),'inioii  interposed  with  a  malicious  air, 
offering  in  her  turn  some  blackberries  on  the  stem 
which  she  herself  had  just  i)ickcd.  At  the  same 
time  she  said,  addressing  Hortensia: 

"You  will  see  that  he  won't  say  no  tn  me,  be- 
cause these  arc  wild  and  thorny  fruits  like  those 

•March    is    tisually    the    hottest    month    of   the    yc.ir    in    Cost.!    Rica. 


278  CUENTOS    TICOS 

which  your  brother  is  so  fond  of."  Emilia  under- 
stood the  impertinence,  and  her  cheeks  flushed 
with  anger. 

"You  are  right,"  repHed  Carlos,  accepting 
them,  "I  like  everything  that  is  natural,  and  that 
is  why  the  roses  Emilia  has  in  her  cheeks  seem 
so  beautiful  to  me."  The  reply  was  worthy  of  the 
attack,  and  without  waiting  for  a  second  thrust, 
the  young  lady  of  the  rouge  went  away  after 
Hortensia  who,  to  hide  the  laughter  that  was 
struggling  within  her,  had  departed  almost  on  a 
run. 

When  the  sun  was  well  down  they  began  to 
think  of  returning.  Then,  while  the  men  were 
superintending  the  preparations  for  the  march, 
the  women  did  a  little  stealthly  retouching  with 
the  aid  of  small  hand-mirrors  and  other  pocket 
utensils.  Emilia,  who  was  unacquainted  with 
these  refinements,  began  to  watch  the  comings 
and  goings  of  a  little  bird  that  attracted  her 
attention. 

"What  a  beautiful  orchid !"  she  exclaimed 
suddenly,  pointing  to  a  lofty  branch  that  pro- 
jected over  the  river. 

"Charming,  beautiful,  divine!"  replied  various 
feminine  voices. 

"Would  you  like  to  have  it?"  inquired  the  voice 
of  Carlos  behind  Emilia. 

"I  should  be  delighted; — but  it  is  impossi- 
ble— "she  added,  after  surveying  the  branch 
which  belonged  to  one  of  the  trees  that  crowned 
the  cliff  on  the  opposite  shore. 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2/9 

"I  like  to  conquer  impossibilities,"  replied  the 
young  man,  drawing  his  revolver  and  aiming  at 
the  capricious  flower. 

On  seeing  his  action  the  group  of  girls  dis- 
banded. Some  fled  away;  others  remained  near 
by  with  their  fingers  in  their  ears.  The  sound  of 
the  shot  reverberated  in  the  deep  valley,  and  the 
flower  detached  itself  from  its  stem. 

"Bravo,  Carlos !"  shouted  the  men  who  had 
come  up  at  the  sound  of  the  report.  The  women 
clapped  their  hands.  The  rejoicing  was  short- 
lived however,  because  the  elusive  flower  fell  into 
the  middle  of  the  river.  Without  hesitating,  Car- 
los, dressed  as  he  was,  plunged  into  the  water  and 
in  two  strokes  was  within  reach  of  it.  So  unex- 
pected and  swift  was  this  action  that  none  of 
those  present  had  time  to  stop  him.  The  young 
man  was  proudly  returning  now,  swimming  on  his 
side  with  only  one  arm  and  holding  the  coveted 
flower  out  of  the  water  with  the  other,  but  the 
s])ectators  noticed  that  for  all  his  efforts  to  reach 
the  bank,  lie  did  not  succeed.  On  the  contrary, 
the  current,  which  was  very  rapid  beneath  the 
deceitful  calm  of  the  surface,  was  little  by  little 
carrying  him  away.  Nevertheless,  nobody  actu- 
ally noticed  the  peril  in  which  the  swimmer  was 
until  they  saw  him  disappear  among  the  rocks  as 
he  was  swept  along  with  terrifying  swiftness  by 
the  water.  A  cry  of  terror  broke  forth  from  the 
lips  rif  all.  and  a  number  of  the  com])anions  of 
Carlos  started  on  a  run  along  the  bank  to  aid  him. 
without    realizing   the   uselessness  of  what   they 


28o  CUENTOS    TICOS 

were  doing.  Hortensia  was  on  the  point  of  faint- 
ing, and  lier  aunt  prayed  and  sobbed  at  the  same 
time.  Emiha,  breathless  and  pale  as  death,  fol- 
lowed the  events  of  the  drama  with  awful  dread. 

"Saved !  Saved !"  shouted  the  far-away  voices 
of  those  who  ran.  In  fact,  he  was  now  out  of 
danger.  An  excellent  swimmer,  he  had  not  lost 
for  an  instant  the  coolness  indispensable  for  es- 
caping from  the  rocks  against  which  the  water 
hurled  him  with  terrible  violence.  This  struggle 
lasted  but  a  few  moments,  which  however  seemed 
dreadfully  long  to  the  whole  party.  Luckily,  he 
was  able  to  sieze  hold  of  a  low-hanging  branch 
that  almost  touched  the  water,  and  that  saved  his 
life. 

Some  minutes  afterwards  Carlos  reached  the 
place  where  the  ladies  were,  and  n'ithout  any 
affectation  offered  Emilia  the  orchid,  which  he  had 
succeeded  in  saving  by  holding  it  in  his  teeth. 
She.  trembling  and  panting,  looked  at  him  with 
dilated  eyes,  unable  to  utter  a  word;  two  large 
tears  ran  silently  down  her  cheeks.  A  delirious 
joy  succeeded  her  anguish  and  horror.  Horten- 
sia, recovered  from  her  faintness  hung  about  his 
neck  and  kissed  him  repeatedly,  laughing  and  cry- 
ing at  the  same  time.  The  aunt,  on  her  knees, 
was  giving  thanks  to  God.  When  the  excitement 
had  calmed  down  a  little  all  began  to  talk  at  once, 
telling  what  he  or  she  had  seen  or  done,  without 
anyone's  listening  or  paying  attention  to  what  the 
rest  said.  It  cost  Carlos  some  labor  to  free  him- 
self from  Hortensia's  arms  so  as  to  go  and  fall 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  281 

Into  those  of  his  aunt  and  then  into  those  of  his 
men  friends,  who  cong-ratulated  him  with  secret 
envy. 

The  return  home  was  very  hurried  out  of  con- 
sideration for  the  liero  who  was  soaked  to  the 
skin;  yet  they  were  unahle  to  get  there  before  half 
past  seven  in  the  evening.  EmiHa  stopped  at  her 
house  as  they  passed.  During  the  entire  ride 
homeward  she  was  very  silent,  deeply  moved  by 
the  great  peril  to  which  the  man  whom  she 
secretly  loved  had  for  her  sake  exposed  himself. 
A  multitude  of  pleasing  thoughts  surged  through 
her  mind.  Her  vanity  and  her  affection  were 
comi)letely  satisfied  by  the  splendid  proof  of  his 
love  that  Carlos  had  given  before  so  many  per- 
sons. In  her  inmost  soul  she  was  delighted  at  the 
downfall  of  that  impertinent  rival  who  had  tried 
to  humiliate  her.  How  well  and  how  opportunely 
Carlos  had  defended  her!  She  still  seemed  to  see 
the  angry  face  of  the  poor  girl  and  the  mocking 
smile  of  Hortensia.  How  would  she  feel  after 
what  had  hajjpcned?  Furious,  without  doubt,  for 
Carlos  had  risked  his  life  merely  to  satisfy  a 
small  desire  of  the  "wild  and  thorny  fruit."  as 
the  painted  one  harl  called  her. 

Her  intention  was  now  very  far  from  avoiding 
Carlos,  or  even  rejecting  his  gallantry.  Her 
feelings  had  changed  completely  in  the  space  of 
a  few  nu'nutcs.  by  reason  of  the  gallant  act  of  the 
young  man,  which  had  reached  her  very  soul. 
Now  she  felt  herself  conqucrefl,  defenseless,  will- 
ing to  surrender  at  the  first  word;  but  be,  either 


282  CUENTOS    TICOS 

by  design  or  from  an  exquisite  sentiment  of 
delicacy,  did  not  make  the  least  insinuation  at  a 
time  when  it  was  lawful  to  suppose  her  inde- 
pendence was  overcome  by  gratitude.  Only  on 
taking  leave  of  her  it  seemed  that  he  had  pressed 
her  hand  a  little  more  than  usual. 


The  dashing  swimming  exploit  of  Carlos  was 
much  talked  about  by  friends  and  others.  Those 
who  knew  him  well  were  of  the  opinion  that  the 
act  was  simply  a  sudden  outburst  of  his  impetu- 
ous and  chivalrous  character,  without  attributing 
to  it  greater  importance;  which  does  not  mean 
that  there  was  a  lack  of  suppositions  and  cutting 
speeches  unfavorable  and  derogatory  to  Emilia, 
which  some  uncharitable  persons,  especially  the 
young  lady  of  the  blackberries,  took  pains  to 
spread. 

Tlie  father  as  well  as  the  mother  of  Carlos  re- 
proached him  f(jr  his  rashness  and  made  prudent 
observations  concerning  his  gallant  attentions, 
which  were  compromising  Emilia  since  they 
could  not  have  matrimony  as  an  object. 

"May  God  save  us  from  your  marrying  that 
country  wench.  That  would  be  too  much!"  ex- 
claimed Hortensia  quite  angrily.  Carlos  laughed 
and  rei)lied  jestingly.  At  heart  he  was  not  in  love 
with  Emilia.  It  is  true  he  liked  her  very  much  and 
her  reserve  was  an  incentive;  but  between  that  and 
making  her  his  wife  there  was  an  inijiassable 
abyss  for  one  who  had  such  a  deep-rooted  respect 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  283 

for  social  distinctions  as  he  had.  To  marry  a  girl 
who  was  not  of  his  people,  as  he  himself  ex- 
pressed it,  he  considered  an  absurdity  so  great 
that  it  did  not  deserve  the  honor  of  discus- 
sion. 

On  the  following  morning,  when  he  was  re- 
turning on  horseback  to  San  Jose,  he  saw  Emiliji 
at  her  window  with  the  famous  flower  pinned  to 
her  breast,  and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had 
decided  to  stop  making  love  to  her  out  of  respect 
for  the  opinion  of  his  parents,  he  could  not  resist 
the  desire  of  seeing  her  and  talking  with  her;  yet 
the  conversation,  contrary  to  the  hopes  of  Emilia, 
did  not  pass  beyond  ordinary  trivialties.  Not 
without  displeasure  did  she  see  him  go  away 
leaving  unsaid  the  word  which,  before,  she  had 
feared  and  now  vehemently  desired.  In  the  in- 
ternal strife  that  she  had  been  sustaining  the  final 
triumph  was  on  the  side  of  vanity  and  love,  wliich 
now  raised  themselves  on  the  ruins  of  her  i)ru- 
dence,  her  discretion,  and  even  her  self-esteem. 
Her  desire  at  the  moment  was  that  all  should 
know  th.'it  Carlos  loved  her  and  that  she  recipro- 
cated, without  caring  what  people  might  think 
or  say.  Only  the  interests  (jf  her  passion  con- 
cerned her  now. 

Tn  this  morbid  state  of  mind  F.milia  passed  the 
week.  At  times  she  imagined  that  Carlos  wouUl 
choose  to  communicate  with  her  bv  letter,  and  be- 
gan to  look  eagerly  for  the  arrival  of  the  mail, 
which  each  time  brought  her  a  new  disajipoint- 
mcnt.      Tlic   t'>t,-il   absence  of  news  finallv   mruio 


284  CUENTOS    TICOS 

her  lose  patience,  for  even  Hortensia  did  not  ap- 
pear in  the  village  during  all  those  days. 

The  longed  for  Saturday  arrived  at  last.  Emilia 
arose  early,  did  her  various  household  tasks, 
dressed  herself  becomingly,  and  began  to  count 
the  hours  until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Then 
she  went  to  the  window  to  await  the  passing  of 
Carlos  who  was  accustomed  to  go  by  a  little  after 
that  hour.  On  her  breast  she  wore  the  orchid 
which  the  young  man  had  so  valiantly  conquered 
for  her  and  which  by  great  care  she  had  pre- 
served, feeling  sure  that  this  detail  would  not  pass 
unnoticed  by  him.  She  waited  at  first  with  com- 
parative calm;  after  half  an  hour  she  began  to 
get  impatient.  Each  horseman  whom  she  saw 
approaching  from  a  distance  made  her  breast 
beat  high  with  hope,  only  to  be  cast  down  and  dis- 
appointed on  learning  that  it  was  not  the  man  of 
her  desire.  Night  fell  without  Carlos's  passing. 
What  could  it  mean?  Emilia  grew  desperate  in 
making  varied  surmises.  Had  anything  happened 
to  him?  Could  he  be  ill?  That  was  not  prob- 
able, for  she  would  have  learned  of  it  through 
some  of  the  servants  of  the  hacienda.  It  was 
more  logical  to  think  that  it  was  due  to  some  re- 
sentment which  he  felt  toward  her,  caused  by  her 
former  reserve  and  coldness.  Now  he  wanted  to 
make  her  furious  also.  Yes.  it  must  be  that.  He 
surely  had  cause  to  think  her  over-proper  and 
prudish.  Well,  who  had  started  her  into  these 
fastidious  worries  about  a  gentleman  of  such 
high  position  as  Carlos? 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  285 

She  passed  a  very  restless  night,  but  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  while  she  was  going  to  mass,  she 
consoled  herself  by  thinking  that  there  was  as  yet 
no  reason  to  despair,  for,  looking  at  things 
calmly,  it  was  quite  possible  that  Carlos's  absence 
should  be  caused  by  some  other  circumstance 
which  she  could  not  divine.  She  looked  all  over 
the  church  for  Hortensia,  but  could  see  only  her 
mother  and  the  aunt  in  the  customary  place.  The 
hope,  which  she  was  cherishing,  of  seeing  Carlos 
on  going  out  was  the  cause  of  a  new  disillusion. 

"There  is  something  wrong;  there  is  some- 
thing wrong,"  she  kept  repeating,  as  she  noticed 
that  Hortensia  had  not  come  to  mass. 

She  passed  all  of  Sunday  in  great  uneasiness, 
so  that  her  surprise  was  most  pleasant  when  she 
saw  Hortensia  arrive  on  Monday.  She  came  in, 
while  passing,  to  invite  her  to  a  solemn  mass  in 
the  church  of  El  Senor  de  Esquipulas  in  the 
neighboring  village  of  Alajuelita.  a  service  which 
she  had  vowed  when  Carlos  was  in  such  great 
peril.  The  ceremony  was  to  take  place  on  the 
following  Thursday,  with  the  whole  family  in  at- 
tendance. On  asking  Hortensia  the  cause  of  her 
not  being  in  the  church  the  day  before,  the  latter 
told  her  tliat  she  had  gone  with  her  father  to  San 
Jose.  From  there  they  bad  gone  to  take  part  in 
a  large  picnic  which  the  yfiung  ladies  of  the 
Arburola  family  had  given  (m  Sunday,  al  their 
hacienda  in  Trcs  Rois.  as  a  farewell  to  the  sum- 
mer season. 

She  held  forth  at  length  nj)on  the  details  of  the 


286  CUENTOS    TICOS 

festival,  which  had  been  very  fine,  w^ith  a  large 
number  of  invited  friends  who  had  gone  from  the 
capital  in  a  special  train.  On  hearing  her  men- 
tion the  Arburola  girls  Emilia  felt  a  vague  un- 
easiness. She  had  observed  that  this  name  was 
mentioned  quite  often  in  the  conversation  of 
Hortensia  who  never  lost  a  chance  of  dwelling 
on  their  beauty  and  elegance.  As  for  her,  she 
knew  them  only  by  reputation'.  The  two 
sisters  were  held  to  be  as  coquettish  and  frivo- 
lous as  they  were  beautiful,  and  any  number 
of  escapades,  more  or  less  scandalous,  were  re- 
lated about  them.  Carlos  also  was  in  the  habit 
of  talking  a  good  deal  about  them,  praising  their 
brightness,  their  grace,  and  even  their  extrava- 
gances, saying  that  they  had  all  the  charm  of 
Andalusian  women.  These  circumstances,  to 
which  she  had  formerly  paid  no  attention,  now 
caused  her  an  unfamiliar  and  painful  sensation. 
With  much  skill  and  caution  she  began  to  draw 
out  from  Hortensia  that  during  the  picnic  Carlos 
had  been  quite  taken  with  one  of  them,  Elvira,  the 
prettier;  and  at  each  new  detail  she  felt  a  sharp 
pain  at  her  heart.  It  was  the  gnawing  of  jeal- 
ousy which  she  was  experiencing  for  the  first 
time. 


Sadly  and  mournfully  Emilia  heard  the  mass 
of  thanksgiving,  as  she  saw  that  the  one  chiefly 
interested  was  not  there  in  spite  of  his  promise 
to  be  present.     Two  musical  celebrities  from  the 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  287 

capital  took  part  in  the  service  with  soul-stirring 
songs,  and  poor  Emilia  was  so  downcast  that  she 
was  on  the  point  of  weeping  during  various  pas- 
sages especially  touching.  Carlos  arrived  when 
the  mass  was  half  over.  On  seeing  him  Emilia 
could  not  hide  her  joy.  He  also  was  very  affable 
with  her,  and  during  their  return  was  prodigal 
of  polite  attentions.  When  they  were  once  more 
in  the- village  and  about  to  separate,  he  said  that 
such  a  pretty  ceremony  ought  to  have  a  fitting 
conclusion,  and  for  that  reason  he  hoped  that  all 
would  come  to  dinner  that  afternoon  at  the 
hacienda.  Emilia  accepted  the  invitation,  with 
the  acquiescence  of  her  mother,  who  for  her  part 
declined  it,  so  that  it  was  agreed  that  ITortensia 
and  Carlos  shrjuld  come  for  Emilia  in  the  after- 
ncjon. 

Never  was  she  hai)pier  than  at  that  dinner.  All 
her  heart-burnings  had  disappeared  like  an  ugly 
nightmare.  The  presence  of  Carlos  caused  her 
pains  and  doubts  to  vanish,  as  the  rays  of  the 
rising  sun  dispel  the  shades  of  night.  Contrary 
to  her  custom,  she  was  merry  and  talkative,  re- 
plying easily  to  the  jests  that  were  directed  at  her, 
and  more  than  once  with  real  wit.  After 
coffee  the  elders  became  absorbed  in  the 
abstruse  pleasure  of  Malilla.*  llortcnsia  seated 
herself  at  the  piano,  wbik-  l''.niili,i  ,'iii<l  C-irlns  went 
out  on  the  balcony  with  the  pretext  of  taking  the 
air,  really  because  they  wished  tf)  be  alone.  The 
moon  illumined  tlic  landscape  with  its  white,  sad 

•A   game   of   carrls   resembling   whist. 


288 


CUENTOS    TICOS 


light,  which  predisposes  one  to  tenderness  and  to 
dreams.  Both  remained  silent,  contemi)lating-  the 
pale  luminary  which  seemed  to  glide  along  among 
the  little  clouds,  which  at  times  ohscured  it. 

"I  have  to  collect  a  debt  from  you,"  said  Carlos, 
after  an  interval  of  silence. 

"A  debt?" 

"Yes." 

"Might  I  know  what  it  is?" 

"I  have  no  objection   to    telling    it;    but    first 
promise  me  that  you  will  pay  it." 

"With  great  pleasure,  provided  that  I  can." 

"Everything  that  one  wishes  is  possible." 

"That  is  not  accurate,  for  above  our  will  is 
God." 

"That  is  true,  but  the  French  say  that  what 
woman   wishes  God  wishes." 

"The  French  are  very  gallant." 

"So  they  say,  but  let  us  return  to  the  debt. 
Will  you  consent  to  pay  it?" 

"First  tell  me  what  it  is  about." 

"Well  then,  give  me  one  of  those  flowers  in 
exchange  for  that  other  of  which  you  know." 
Carlos  indicated  a  bunch  of  ])inks  that  she  was 
wearing  on  her  breast.  She  felt  disconcerted  by 
the  unexpectedness  of  tlie  request,  and  did  not 
know  what  to  answer.  Through  the  windows  of 
the  drawing  room  the  light  notes  of  a  waltz  of 
Waldteufifel  issued,  which  enfolded  them  in  the 
voluptuousness  of  their  gentle,  dreamy  rhythm. 
Carlos  kept  pleading  in  a  low  and  supplicating 
voice,  which  made  Emilia's  heart  throb  until  she 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  289 

was  almost  choking.  Conquered  at  last,  she  de- 
livered the  coveted  flower.  He  also  kept  her  hand 
and  kissed  it  passionately.  Emilia  felt  herself 
growing-  faint  at  the  t<itich  of  Carlos's  burning 
lips  on  her  skin.  The  arrival  of  Hortensia  put  an 
end  to  the  daring  acts  of  her  bold  brother,  who 
secretly  began  to  curse  at  her  inopportune  arrival. 
She,  however,  who  divined  his  feelings  and  knew 
why  he  had  gone  out,  began  to  talk  a  lot  of  non- 
sense with  the  intention  of  making  him  rage. 
Emilia  was  too  deeply  moved  to  be  able  to  talk, 
nor  did  she  understand  the  questions  of  Hor- 
tensia. Carlos,  who  was  furious,  kept  silent, 
twisting  his  mustache.  The  sound  of  voices  and 
the  trampling  of  horses  interrupted  the  chatter  of 
the  malicious  sister. 

"Hortensia!  Hortensia!"  cried  several  femi- 
nine voices  from  below. 

Hortensia  went  out  on  the  balcony  and  recog- 
nizing those  who  had  arrived,  cried  in  her  turn : 
"Elvira!  Margarita!  What  a  surprise:"  and 
turning  gleefully  to  Carlos,  added,  "There  arc  the 
Arburolas." 

It  was  in  fact  they,  wlm.  taking  ad\antagc  of 
the  moonlight  for  a  horseback  ricle,  had  come  to 
see  Hortensia  in  company  with  several  mutual 
friends  of  both  sexes.  Carlos  ran  to  receive  them, 
and  while  he  was  going  downstairs  carrying 
Emilia's  pink  in  his  hand,  he  put  it  in  his  button- 
hole with  an  unthinking  movement.  The  commo- 
tion which  the  arrival  of  the  Arburola  girls  and 
their   retinue  made   in   the  house  was  not  small. 


290  CUENTOS    TICOS 

The  card  players  dispersed,  for  the  father  also  had 
to  go  down  to  receive  such  distinguished  guests, 
while  the  mother  awaited  them  in  the  drawing 
room,  and  the  aunt  went  hurriedly  to  superintend 
the  preparing  of  supper. 

Emilia  did  not  know  where  to  stay,  since  now 
nobody  took  note  of  her  insignificant  person,  in 
the  midst  of  so  much  coming  and  going.  The 
exuberance  and  chattering  of  the  two  sisters  and 
their  friends  completely  quelled  her  good  spirits 
and  silenced  her,  and  when,  after  some  time,  Hor- 
tensia  remembered  to  present  her  to  the  new 
arrivals,  she  played  the  part  of  a  child  before  its 
examiners. 

The  Arburola  girls  were  wild  to  dance.  Noth- 
ing daunted  them,  not  even  the  inconvenience  of 
their  riding  habits,  which  they  held  up  as  best 
they  could.  Hortensia  struck  up  a  waltz, 
Carlos  set  the  example  with  Elvira,  and  all 
the  others  followed,  except  Emilia,  who  re- 
mained in  one  corner,  her  heart  torn  by  jealousy, 
without  being  able  to  drag  herself  away  from  the 
spectacle  which  for  her  was  torture.  Pale  with 
wrath,  she  watched  her  rival  in  Carlos's  arms, 
graceful,  animated,  and  throbbing  with  pleasure, 
gliding  about  to  the  time  of  the  music  with  the 
self-possession  and  elegance  of  a  high-bred 
woman.  From  time  to  time,  as  Carlos  murmured 
something  in  her  ear.  she  smiled  and  half  closed 
her  eyes  with  a  refined  coquetry.  To  complete  the 
cruelty,  the  waltz  which  Hortensia  was  playing 
was  the  same  one   to    whose   music    Carlos    had 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  2^1 

kissed  her  hand,  murmuring  tender  phrases  which 
had  gone  to  her  very  heart,  the  same  phrases  that 
he  might  now  be  saying  to  that  detested  Elvira, 
w"ho  was  prettier  than  she;  for  it  was  useless  to 
close  one's  eyes  to  the  evidence.  That  woman 
might  be  whatever  one  pleased,  yet  she  was 
ideally  beautiful,  of  a  dangerous,  perverse  beauty, 
made  up  entirely  of  temptations. 

When  the  waltz  was  over  Carlos  conducted 
Elvira  out  to  take  the  air,  paying  no  more  atten- 
tion to  Emilia  than  if  she  had  not  existed.  The 
poor  girl  in  her  corner  was  being  consumed  by 
jealousy,  wrath  and  shame.  Then  came  a 
moment  when  she  could  endure  no  more,  and  as 
no  one  took  notice  of  her  she  went  to  the  dining- 
room  in  search  of  a  glass  of  water,  for  she  was 
suffocating.  While  she  was  drinking  it,  the 
sounfl  of  Carlos's  voice  made  her  trcinl)lc.  With 
infinite  precaution  she  stole  u])  tn  a  window  wliicli 
opened  on  tlie  balcony,  and  through  wliicli  it 
seemed  to  her  the  voice  had  entered. 

"I  assure  you,  Elvira."  Carlos  was  saying  at 
that  moment,  "that  you  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
my  words." 

"As  if  men  could  ever  tell  the  truth!" 

"Men  perha[)s;  but  T  am  not  a  man  since  1  have 
known    you." 

"How  delightful!     And  what  are  you  now?" 

"Evervthing  that  you  wish." 

"A  Hattcrcr?" 

"Not  that  by  any  means.  Say  rather  an 
animal." 


292  CUENTOS    TICOS 

"An  animal,  because  you  say  you  care  for  me! 
Thanks  for  your  gallantry.  Do  you  know,  that 
little  quiet  mouse  is  not  ugly.  You  haven't  bad 
taste,  Don  Carlos;  although  that  swimming  affair 
seems  rather  exaggerated  to  me." 

"Why  don't  we  talk  of  something  else?  Of 
what  you  promised  me  Sunday  in  Tres  Rios,  for 
example." 

"L'or  your  good  behavior  since  then,  is  that 
it?" 

"I  have  already  told  you,  Elvira  — " 

"Kee])  quiet,  for  you  are  going  to  fib  again. 
Who  has  given  you  that  pink?" 

Carlos  pulled  out  the  flower  which  he  had  for- 
gotten till  then  and  replied  with  some  embarrass- 
ment:  "T  don't  remember, — Hortens'ia  perhaps." 

"Don't  tell  fibs.  That  pink  is  the  brother  of 
some  others  I  have  just  seen." 

"What  an  idea!  You  are  always  so  sus- 
picious." 

"Very  well,  I  want  to  believe  you  this  time. 
Give  it  to  me  then." 

"With  all  the  pleasure  in  life,  but  on  one  con- 
dition." 

"Let  us  see." 

Emilia  could  not  hear  the  rest.  The  voices  died 
away  into  an  imperceptible  murmur.  Almost 
fainting,  she  seized  the  curtain  tremulously  so  as 
not  to  fall.  Suddenly  the  sound  of  a  kiss  went 
through  her  like  an  electric  shock.  Her  strength 
returned,  her  bloodless  cheeks  flushed  and  her 
eyes  sent  forth  sparks.     Without  taking  account 


STORIES    OF    COSTA    RICA  293 

of  what  she  was  going  to  do,  obeying  the  impiuse 
of  an  irresistible  feehng,  she  violently  opened  the 
door  which  gave  access  to  the  balcony  and  planted 
herself  in  front  of  the  enamoured  pair,  who  with 
surprise  saw  her  come  out.  Elvira  kept  play- 
ing ostentatiously  with  the  pink,  the  same  one 
that  she  had  just  given  Carlos,  and  which  had 
been  as  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  love  concluded 
between  them  that  night.  Emilia  snatched  it 
from  her  with  a  quick  motion,  and  turning  toward 
Carlos  lashed  him  twice  in  the  face  with  the 
flower,  at  the  same  time  exclaiming  in  a  hoarse 
voice:  "Oh.  you  miserable  creature!" 

Elvira  and  Carlos  remained  mute.  When  they 
recovered  from  the  surprise  which  the  passionate 
outburst  of  the  poor  girl  had  caused  them  she  was 
already  far  away. 

"That  little  country  girl  is  very  bold,"  mur- 
mured Elvira  at  last. 

Carlos  tried  to  answer,  but  did  not  succeed  in 
saying  a  word.  The  blow  from  the  pink  stung 
him  as  though  he  had  been  lashed  across  the  face 
with  a  whip. 


COSTA  RICA 


PREPARED  FROM  OFFICIAL  SOURCES. 

THE  BURROWS  BROTHERS  CO. 

PUBLISHEI^S    ■     •     •     CLEVELAND 
1904 

R.il»o»Jl  e    Porll  of  EMr, 

Pr<.«,wd  8,Uro..« Boufid.rytlnA 


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II  II    III    III    III  ll  Mill  I  III  illin 

AA    000  589  415    9 


